


All That I Really Wanted (English version)

by abunchofatoms



Category: Legacies (TV 2018)
Genre: F/F, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Unplanned Pregnancy, a little bit of Handon, magic pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-11-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:01:38
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 80,118
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26904064
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/abunchofatoms/pseuds/abunchofatoms
Summary: A monster appears and shows Hope a new life.
Relationships: Hope Mikaelson/Josie Saltzman
Comments: 126
Kudos: 420





	1. Break the Rules

**Author's Note:**

> English isnt my first language, so be kind.

Hope woke up happy that morning, it has been a long time since she felt as happy as she did that day. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. So she got up from her bed with a big smile as she got ready for her magnificent day.

"Good morning handsomes" greeted Landon and Rafael when she found them in the common room. She sat next to her boyfriend and took the croissant from his hand "sweet, sweet carbs" she said, taking a piece of it.

Both boys looked at her in confusion, they had never seen Hope Mikaelson so happy.

"Somebody is in a very good mood" Rafael was the first to say something about it.

"mmh. Just woke up on the right side of the bed, I guess" Hope said as if it was no big deal.

"For the first time ever?" Landon joked looking at his girlfriend, he knew there was something wrong with her.

"You’re so funny. I love that about you" she laughed pushing her boyfriend slightly.

Their strange talk was interrupted by the Saltzman twins; this was their first day of school after they returned from Europe.

"Good morning Rafael" Lizzie greeted with a smile.

"Hi, how was your trip?" asked the wolf in an uncomfortable way.

"Excellent, thank you" Josie replied. "And welcome back, Landon" she said to the boy next to Hope.

"Didn’t you vote me out?" he said seriously.

"That’s all in the past" replied the blonde twin defending her sister. "Now, is everyone as excited as I am about tonight?"

"What's happening tonight?" Landon asked.

"The school’s annual talent show, all factions compete" Hope explained to Landon and Rafael "You know, the witch performance wouldn’t be the same without you two” She said to the twins.

"Thank you" said Josie

The sound of a bell was heard, along with Alaric's voice.

 _"If I could have your attention. Last night we were able to capture a monster here on the grounds. We have everything under control. But given this potential danger, it is with a heavy heart that I must postpone the talent show. Hopefully, we’ll be able to reschedule this… unique event… at a later date. A much, much later date”_ the director finished the statement.

“Kind of overkill if you ask me. I told your dad that a unicorn barely counts as a monster” Hope tell to the twins.

Both twins rolled their eyes in annoyance. Hope just smiled at them before hugging her boyfriend.

Moments after Tribrid was going to her next class with Rafael and Landon when the announcement bell rang.

 _"Good news, friends. The talent show is going on as previously scheduled”_ Lizzie's voice reported.

Landon started laughing, annoying Rafael.

"So, Lizzie’s acting weird" Landon commented to his brother.

"She's not the only one" Rafael said, pointing to Hope.

"Babe. We should do a talent” Hope said out of nowhere.

"what? You and me?" Landon asked surprised by the turn of things.

"I have never wanted to before because I would have had to do it alone" She explains "and now I have you. And we make up our own faction. The tribrid and you " She hug him

"Yeah, all right, yeah. Team other” agreed Landon kissing Hope, they kissed for a few moments until Hope remembered she had a class.

After her class, some witches invited Hope for a smoothie, the girl accepted with a smile. They went for their smoothies and sat on the stairs to joke around.

"This is so much fun. I don’t know why we don't do this more often? " Hope laughed making the witches around her laugh.

Josie saw the whole exchange with surprise, it was extremely easy to notice that there was something weird with Hope, but she let it pass, she had more important things to think about, like where were the canes?

"Hey, do you know where they moved stupid canes for the talent show? Lizzie was asking me to find them” Josie said wearily and annoyed. She didn't want to repeat the routine from the previous year.

"You seem very anti-cane" Hope commented, getting up from where she was sitting to get a better look at the girl in front of her.

"No, I just anti-doing the same exact thing every year, but it's fine" the brunette complained.

"I'll keep an eye out" Hope commented "but I think someone has an eye out for you" she pointed out to Penelope that she doesn’t stop watching Josie since she entered to the place.

Josie turned and looked at Penelope approaching her.

"Oh dear god, hide me" said the brunette sitting behind Hope.

Penelope approached the tribrid with a smile.

"Hi" Hope smiled

Penelope leaned closer so she could look at Josie over Hope's shoulder. Josie raised her face and widened her eyes, smiling tightly at the black-haired girl.

" just make sure you read it in private" Penelope said handing her a small note.

"I'm not gonna read it at all" Josie said taking the note.

Penelope just glanced at her before raising a hand and gesturing for the witches to follow her.

"Ok, what do you think it says? Check this box if you want to kiss me, check this box if you want to kill me? " the tribrid jokes.

"I don't know and I do not want to find out," Josie says.

"If you need me to help you smite the she-devil, I got you, girl," Hope said, giving her support.

Josie looked at her for a few seconds, Now Hope was acting even weirder.

"Ok, did Emma just slip you happy pills or something while we were gone?" she was really curious why the usually sad tribrid was now happy.

"Nope, just having a good day," Hope said without further explanation.

“that makes one of us" Josie says.

"Well, I think I can help you with that, Jo" Hope said with a smile "but first a hug, it seems you need one" She hug her tightly.

No one noticed the little slug that was entering Josie's ear. Or how Josie suddenly smiled like she was very happy.

Hope and Josie were in the school kitchen, Hope had made a cake that was now in the oven, and Josie was whisking the cookie dough.

"I didn't know you knew cook" said the smiling brunette.

"I do it sometimes, I like it" said the tribrid, standing next to her to see the siphon’s work. "I think someone is doing a good job" she pecked at the girl's ribs making her laugh.

"Hey, don't do that, it tickles me" Josie laughed as she tried to get away from Hope.

"seriously? So I think I should do more” the tribrid says, now using both hands on Josie. The siphon didn't want to be left behind, so I also tried to tickle Hope.

The room was filled with laughter, neither of the two girls realized how close they had gotten in their little tickling war.

“Enough, enough, enough. I give up ”Josie said breathlessly. Hope smiled at her victory, her smile was big and her eyes shone the most beautiful blue Josie had ever seen. "your eyes are beautiful"

"Yours are not so bad" Hope smiled returning the compliment.

They both looked at each other intensely, it seemed that time had stopped. They were so close that with a single movement their lips would be sealed together.

"Fuck it" Josie said before crash her lips to Hope's. The tribrid returned the kiss fervently.

They kissed for what seemed like centuries, Hope couldn't seem to get enough of the girl in front of her, pulling her hands up Josie's thighs and lifting her up, placing her against the wall.

"Let's get out of here" Josie said against Hope's ear as she unbuttoned the first two buttons on Hope's white shirt.

"Just one more kiss" asked the tribrid, taking both of Josie's hands and placing them over her head so she wouldn't touch her.

Josie stretched her arms a bit hitting the light switch that was there. The light switch has short circuit, electrocuting both girls causing them to separate. A slug came out of her ears.

"Hell, what is that?" Hope said looking at the disgusting creature that came out of her ear, now crawling across the table.

"I don't know, but kill it" Josie said stepping on hers.

Hope took a knife and wedged it into the slug.

After the slug scare passed, the girls looked at each other uncomfortably for a few seconds. No one said a word about what had just happened between them.

"I ... um ... I think I'll go to Dorian to inform him about this" said Hope

"Yes ... I ... I'll go get the canes that Lizzie asked for" Josie commented, almost running out of the kitchen.

Hope watched as Josie left her, her gaze couldn't help but go down to her long legs, maybe the slug had gotten out of her system, but the wolf inside her still wanted to finish what she had started with the brunette.

"Focus" she said in a low voice, while she ran her hands over her face trying to erase any trace of the arousal she felt a while ago. She had a mission now.

Fortunately for Hope, the slug thing hadn't taken long to sort out. And now he was in the living room watching Josie Saltzman in a beautiful blue dress, singing with her wonderful voice. As she looked at the brunette, she couldn't help thinking about what had happened that afternoon in the kitchen. Her eyes gleamed gold in memory.

"you're good?" Landon asked.

"Yes, I am, I just need to go take a bath and get rid of the slug remains" She said looking at Josie one last time.

Half an hour later Landon surprised her in her room, he sung her a song he had written about her, Hope couldn't love the boy more, so she kissed him, but this time the kiss felt different and she didn't know why.

Josie was listening to her sister's complaints about how no one appreciates her changing, her trying to be better. After her father agreed with her, the blonde left happily leaving them alone.

"So, when I got the slugged, do you think that is the real me?" That question had been killing her all day, he wanted to know if she really wanted Hope.

“You know; some people think that the real you comes out when your inhibitions are lowered. But in my experience, sometimes what really defines someone is what they won’t do” Alaric replied.

Josie smiled calmer with what her father said, nothing had to change between Hope and her. They could do as if it never happened because those weren't them.


	2. Too Little, Too Late

Hope looked at the lifeless body of her boyfriend, lying on the floor with his neck shattered by the force of MG, she had arrived too late.

Too late to pay attention to what he was planning.

Too late to do things differently.

Too late to make other decisions

Too late to save him.

She cried until her body ran out of tears. She felt Rafael wrap his arms around her, trying to find some comfort in this bitter moment.

The funeral was the next day, Hope kept her head down, refusing to meet the eyes of the rest of the mourners as they passed her. She did not want to be seen with pain or pity. When the coffin hits the ground, Hope left without saying a word.

"Hope!" Rafael call her.

"I'm sorry Raf, right now I just want to be alone" She says to the boy

"Okay, you know where to find me if you want to talk" the man commented.

Hope nodded as she walked into the woods, she walking for a while until she found herself at the old mill, she sat there waiting for time to pass.

Josie walked into the old mill, looked at the tribrid sitting there, sad. She knew Hope blamed herself for what happened, for not being there and stopping MG from killing Landon.

She knew that being around had become uncomfortable for both of them after the whole slug thing, but she didn't feel able to leave her there alone. Hope meant too much to her to do that.

Josie walked over to her and without saying anything sat next to the girl. Hope looked at her for a moment before turning her gaze to the forest. The silence stretched between them until Hope finally spoke.

"Josie, please go." She couldn't bear the pain over the loss of Landon and needed to be alone for when the little control she still had will end.

"I can't, Hope" she said softly. She couldn't let her face the pain alone.

"Where is Raf?"

Josie smiled, Hope thought it would be easy to get rid of her by sending her to look for Rafael, knowing that her weakness is worrying too much about people, so she decided to play with hers, guilt. "Lizzie is with him, she is taking care of him"

Hope nodded and they fell into silence again. Josie stood there, unsure how to start the conversation, so she just said it.

"It wasn't your fault, Hope"

At her words Hope got up and walked to a window. Josie realized that it was not only pain and guilt that boiled within the tribrid, there was also anger.

"It was" she said it in such a way that you'd think she was the one who had sucked Landon's blood to death.

"It wasn't" Josie repeated firmly walking toward her.

"You're wrong, Josie" the anger inside the tribrid was finding its target in the brunette, she tried to control herself "I'm to blame, I'm cursed, everyone who loves me dies, he loved me and that's why he died"

"That's not true and you know it" Josie continued trying to ease the pain of the auburn girl.

"Of course I know, my parents died for the same thing" the tears came from her eyes. "I should have protected him; I should have stayed away from him"

"Hope ..."

"Why couldn't I stay away? Why did I have to be so selfish?"

The questions were asked so desperately that Josie couldn't help but feel bad for the girl and wish she had an answer that would help with the pain she was suffering.

"Hope, you are the least selfish person I know, you have always done your best to save everyone and I know that, if you could have, you would have saved him"

"Then why couldn't I?" That was the question that burned inside her, why could she never save the ones she loved?

"Because we can't save them all and sometimes that includes the people we love." She knew that she couldn't make her understand that it wasn't her fault, but she tried anyway. "Landon made the decision to go with MG"

"He didn't choose to die, Josie and what do you know about decisions when you let Lizzie make all of them for you?"

The moment she said the words, she knew she had gone too far. Josie's mouth dropped open and she took a step away from the tribrid, as if she needed to put space between them to deal with what she said.

Hope approached her.

"I did not want to say that"

"It's okay Hope" she turned away from the girl, her eyes shining with tears that threatened to come out "I know exactly what you wanted to say and you're right I better go"

Josie turned and ran out of the mill, ignoring Hope's screams for her to stop, she knew she had to go after the girl.

"You messed everything up there, girl" a man's voice said.

Hope turned to find a man dressed in an ancient Greek robe and his body covered by eyes.

"Who the hell are you?" Hope asked, putting herself on guard. She was sure he was another of Malivore's monsters.

"I am Argos, the one who sees everything" the man introduced himself. "And I can see your girl over there is upset" he said as he sat down in an old chair leaning against a tree.

"You're supposed to be a monster from Malivore, shouldn't you attack me or something?" Hope asked confused by the monster's behaviour.

"I could do that or I could make a deal with you"

"What kind of deal?"

"I listened to your talk with the girl, you wanted to get away from the boy believing that maybe that would save him" commented the man "I can help you to know what would happen, I can see everything, what happened, what will happen and what can and could have passed, give you an answer to your question "

"And what do you want in return?"

"That you finish with Malivore, I know that you are a smart girl and you have the power to do it, I believe that what I ask is a reasonable price for the answer you ask" said Argos.

Hope knew it was a risk, but the thought of seeing Landon again pushed all her worries away.

"how does it work?"

"I just need to put my hand on your forehead and your mind will be flooded by a set of memories, you will have two versions, what happened and what could have happened, when I finish, you will know if what you wanted would have any impact"

The image of Landon flashed through her mind.

"let's do it"

Hope approached the man, who just reached his right hand towards her and touched her forehead, felt something warm running through her, then a pain shot through her and the heat inside her grew stronger.

"What's happening is not how it works!" was the last thing Hope heard.

Then she found herself staring into chocolate-coloured eyes.

"So, are we leaving here?"

Hope smiled, her eyes shining gold.


	3. Come a Little Closer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> English isnt my first language, so im sorry for the mistakes.

With a push of her hand, the door opened, Josie looked at the tribrid's room in amazement, she had never entered her room. Hope took her hand and turned her onto her back against the closed door. Josie can't stop the flutter of excitement that was attacking her stomach.

Hope was sure that by the end of the night, her curiosity about Josie Saltzman would be satisfied. Her golden eyes roamed the curves of her body that she hoped to become familiar with in no time. Her eyes brightened with anticipation.

She went to take the brunette in her arms, but was stopped by two hands on her shoulders, she arched an eyebrow at the brunette who only smiled mischievously. Josie took the buttons from the tribrid's cardigan and began to undo them, then pushed the cardigan down her arms. Their lips met again in hungry kisses. Hope with one arm wrapped around Josie's waist pulling her closer to her body, while the other arm tossed her cardigan away behind her.

Josie's hands tangled in her hair pulling her mouth closer to hers, the softness of Hope's hair tickling her against her palms. She tried to get closer, but the yellow jacket she was wearing was hindering her movements and she frowning, broken the kiss.

Hope smiled at the pout on Josie's lips, she realized what was bothering the brunette. Her hands went up her neck and she took Josie’s hands with a little squeeze. In her mind she wondered why she kept her distance from the brunette, when the mere touch of her fingers against her skin felt like electricity and the hunger for her touch overcame everything.

She gave her a carefree smile that left the brunette breathless, amusement shining in her blue eyes. This was the part of Hope that was always hidden, the happy and carefree part, and the times she had seen it always left her wanting more.

She wraps her wrists with her fingers and pulled her hands down, nibbling the sensitive skin of each one and softening it with the caress of her tongue. Josie's heartbeat thundered in her chest and she wondered if the tribrid could feel her pulse beneath her lips.

Hope cupped her face with both hands, trailing her thumb across Josie's lower lip, making the brunette tilt her head toward her touch, she felt her hands slide down her neck, making her shiver. Then she felt Hope's mouth follow the same path her hands had done before, she took her jacket, slowly sliding the material down her arms.

The moment her hands were free, she wrapped her arms around the tribrid's waist and pressed her lips against her. When she sucked on her bottom lip, Hope quickly tossed the jacket to her left onto a small table.

Hope's hand cupped Josie's cheek, while the pressure of her mouth invited the brunette's lips to part. Josie did so with glad, Hope's tongue savouring the sweetness of the siphon's mouth. Josie's hands began to unbutton Hope's shirt impatiently. She broke the kiss, to help the tribrid to shake her off and throw her to the floor.

Josie ran her fingers across the tribrid's toned abs with a smile and pulled her closer with a wicked smile. Hope's hands landed on either side of her against the door. Their head bowed and their mouths met again. Josie let her fingers slide over the sensitive skin of her arms, teasing her with her nails. Hope responded by pulling her fully into her arms and with more demanding kisses.

Hope took Josie's shirt and yanked it open, her eyes falling on Josie's brown ones. She smiled at the tribrid, asking with her eyes how far she was willing to go. Hope responded by taking off her shirt completely, she bent down a bit so she could lift the brunette in her arms.

Hope lowered her, placing her on her bed, watched as the brunette bit her lip waiting for her next move.

She knelt between her legs, leaning toward the brunette with a smile, Josie arched up to her needing to kiss her again. Her mouth opened over hers and their tongues collided, she wrapped her arms around Hope’s warm body, knowing that after this, she would never be alone again.

Lizzie was approached by Landon.

"Have you gone crazy?" the blonde asked, as she sat and Landon pointing a crossbow at her.

"You’re infected with a parasite that controls minds, that's why you have been nice all day" explained the boy.

"That's not why, that ... auch" she complained when he illuminates her with the small lamp he held in his hands.

"It appears you have no sign of the slug," Landon said as he inspected her face.

"What you're talking about? damn ... ahhhh" Lizzie complained

"what was that?" Landon asked scared.

“If you leave me alone, I might tell you. Disgusting Hobbit… ohhhh” she complained again

"If you're not infected why are you acting so weird?"

"I didn’t act weird, I'm turning the page with this" She indicated the metal bracelet on her wrist "I cast a spell on it to shocks me when I say something cruel and the voltage increases. The worst idea in the world "

"No, it's brilliant, that's why you're not infected, what I can't explain is, why are you wandering around instead of being in the contest?"

"I could say the same about you"

"I'm looking for Hope" said Landon

"Well, I'm looking for Josie, I haven't seen her all day" then she gave a big sigh "I guess because she must be infected"

"We have to find them, they are probably together," Landon commented.

"Fine" Lizzie said getting up and walking down the hall.

At the end of the hall the couple met MG.

"Hey, have you seen Josie?" the blonde asked her friend.

"Ammm ..." Mg took the blonde's arm and pulled her away from Landon long enough for her to hear what she was going to say "I heard a rumour, I don't know if it's true but ..."

"MG just say what you have to say"

"The witches said they saw her with Hope in the kitchen ... they were kissing" the vampire said slowly.

"WHAT?"

"Shhh, keep your voice down, Landon must not know, it would break his heart"

"I can't believe my sister was making out with the dog" Lizzie commented with disgust.

"Not only that, someone else saw that they were heading to the bedroom, I can almost swear they must be in Hope's room" he said.

"Hey what's up?" Landon asked seeing how they acted weird.

"I need you to go get Dorian," Lizzie ordered.

"What about Hope?" asked Landon

"We need Dorian to stop Hope in case she is infected" Lizzie said trying to sound convincing "MG will help me look for Josie and ... Hope, of course, although it is not certain that they are together, Why would be?" she started to ramble.

Mg took Lizzie's arm and pulled her away from Landon.

"We will find the girls, go get Dorian" said the vampire giving Landon an uncomfortable smile.

"Sure, I'll go for him" said the boy running down the hall.

"Come on" Lizzie said walking purposefully towards the tribrid's room, but first they stopped in the twins' room, Lizzie ran to her bag to pull out an electric stunner.

"Why do you have that in your bag? You're a witch, you can defend yourself" MG said confused by the weapon.

"Dad and mom thought it would be good if we had some, we are siphons so we don't always have magic at our disposal" explained Lizzie "now we are going for my sister infected by that bug"

They walked down the hall to the door of Hope's room, she put her hand on the door handle and turned it. Surprisingly the door was open, Lizzie poked her head cautiously, fearful of what she might find. But the room was empty, she sighed in relief.

"Looks like they aren’t here," Lizzie commented, turning back to see MG.

MG was about to comment on something, when he looked at Lizzie's sister coming out of Hope's bathroom just dressed in a towel and just when Lizzie thought it couldn't get any worse, Hope came out behind her sister also dressed in a towel, wrapped her arms around Josie’s waist.

"You're mine now" Hope said, reaching up to caress Josie's cheek.

Lizzie nearly choked on the sight of Hope and her sister like this.

Josie noticed her sister and her best friend standing in the doorway looking at them in surprise.

"Hi Lizzie and MG" greeted the brunette with a smile.

"Hi" MG replied seeing that Lizzie was not going to reply in the near future.

Hope stepped in front of Josie, blocking her from their view, her eyes turning gold.

"what are you doing here?" Hope asked, her tone dangerous.

Lizzie’s sister approached the tribrid as if she had no care in the world. There was a carefree happiness in Josie's eyes that Lizzie had never seen before, not even when she was with Penelope. She put her head on Hope's shoulder. To Lizzie right now, that move looked as safe as petting a wild wolf, which at any moment turns and bites you, but Hope didn't.

Lizzie watched in amazement as the gold in Hope's eyes faded. There was a strange sweetness when she turned her face and kissed Josie's cheek, which Lizzie had never seen in Hope. It had to be the slug, she decided.

"We are here to fix things" she said to the couple, she handed the shock gun to MG who using her vampire speed electrocuted the couple. Both girls complained and watched as one slug came out of Hope's nose and another out of Josie's ear.

"Incendia" Lizzie said, setting both slugs on fire.

Hope approached Josie worriedly.

"you're good?" She asks to the brunette who just nodded.

"I think, it’s better if we all get dressed" Lizzie commented leaving the couple.

The girls looked uncomfortable before picking up their clothes to get dressed, they had a monster to eliminate.

After defeating the monster, Hope went to her room, she needed to be alone, she couldn't believe everything she and Josie had done. She needed advice so she called her aunt Freya, she used astral projection.

She bravely told her everything that had happened while she was under the influence of the slug, she only omitted what had happened between her and Josie in her room, that was too private to share with her, with anyone.

"I can't believe all the things I did," Hope said with her aunt.

"It really doesn't surprise me" said the blonde "you have been bottling everything for years, basing every decision on what is right for other people, you never stop to think about what is best for you"

Hope looked at Freya in disbelief.

"Do you really think that was me, did I want to kiss Josie?"

"I think there is some truth in what you did, you said that the slugs only lowered your inhibitions, it does not change who you are" Hope opened her mouth, but her aunt silenced her with a look, needing to make her understand. Sometimes Hope was as stubborn as her brother Klaus and this was one of those moments. The feelings for the twin were part of her and she couldn't ignore them and hope they would go away "I think you should start being honest about your feelings"

"So ... do you think I love Josie?"

Freya shook her head; it was a decision she couldn't make for her.

"You’re the only one who can know that"

"Josie and I are just friends" when her aunt raised an eyebrow at the little witch, the girl protested "I love Landon and he loves me, we’re happy together, I can't break his heart"

"It’s your decision, Hope, I will support you in whatever you decide" said Freya smiling at her.

The next day Hope ran into Josie at the mill, she didn't know the siphon would be there, in fact she had been avoiding her.

"Hey" Hope said uncomfortable.

"Hi" Josie said avoiding her eyes.

They looked at each other for a moment without really knowing what to do.

"Well, about what happened to us ..." Hope began waving her arms nervously.

"We don't have to ..." Josie cut in softly.

"I know, but what happens between us, you're my friend Josie" Hope said a little vulnerable, she didn't want to lose the brunette.

"Don't worry, Hope, it won't change anything" Josie lied looking at the wolf.

Hope nodded and said nothing as Josie left the mill, Hope sat in the old chair, listening to the brunette's footsteps fade. The slug had turned her life upside down, she wished for the happiness she felt while she was under the influence of the slug, the lack of concern was intoxicating.

Her Aunt Freya was right; she had been bottling her emotions. She had always kept things to herself, especially when she had to protect the secret that she was a Mikaelson, and at some point, she had also gotten used to hiding what she felt.

She sighed, her hands against her face, she no longer knew what was the best for her. Her whole life had changed a lot, what did she want?

The answer came quickly ... Landon. She loved him, nothing could change that.

She knew she loved Landon, but last night, she inhaled sharply as memories flooded her, last night Landon didn't even cross her mind.

All she had wanted was Josie.

She wanted to show her that she was everything that the brunette needed, she had wanted to impress her, be with her. She was all that mattered to her.

She tried to tell herself that this wasn't really Josie, just a slug-induced alter ego, but that was a lie. She was still the same girl she had grown up with, the sweet and cute Josie, the girl who cares more about everyone than herself. She had wanted the acceptance and love reflected in those brown eyes.

For a moment she was lost in the memories of the night before. The taste of her kisses, the way her body moved with hers, how She had clung to her.

She let out the breath she was holding. Her aunt was wrong, the feelings, all of them were caused by the slugs.

Josie was still in love with Penelope like she was in love with Landon. They were friends.

Just friends.


	4. Todo Cambio

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> English isn't my first language, I'm sorry for any mistake.

Josie walked into her room with an unfriendly face. She was nauseous, exhausted, and didn't want to see anyone. The nausea and exhaustion were probably her fault, she thought grudgingly. The conversation with Hope weeks ago had left her overwhelmed with emotions and in her own way she had thrown herself into something else to distract herself. This time it had been the investigation, she had discovered about the merge, so she spent late at night reading, looking for a solution. She had hardly eaten and slept these weeks.

She threw her backpack on the bed and lay down next to Lizzie who is reading a book.

"Hello to you too, dear sister"

She didn't respond, thinking that she should probably wait for her stomach to settle.

Lizzie, seeing that her sister did not respond, put down her book and looked at her sister, an uncommon sulk on her face

"Ok Jo, what's wrong?"

"I am temporarily suspended"

"why?"

"Penelope"

"What did Satan do now?"

"She only opened her mouth, when she shouldn't"

Josie knew that it was not so bad, the witch had only told her the truth, that she looked horrible, the hours without sleep were taking their toll and she knew it.

But she was not in the mood to listen to her nonsense so, she had bewitched her, her teacher noticed it and told her father that he suspended her for today and tomorrow.

"I think I'm going to get sick; I haven't been feeling well lately" Josie complained.

"Maybe you should go to the infirmary," Lizzie advised with concern.

"Don't worry, maybe I just need to eat well and rest, I'll be fine"

The days passed and Josie looked more tired than before, until what everyone feared happened. Josie was coming down the stairs to the living room, when she suddenly fainted. Fortunately, Hope was passing by and she managed to catch her.

"what happened?" Hope asked with the brunette in her arms.

Lizzie ran to her side.

"I don't know" her eyes scanned her sister "she told me she hadn't been feeling well lately"

"Take her to our room, I'll go get her some food, she probably hasn't eaten, she's been doing a lot of research about The merge" said Lizzie

Hope nodded and carried Josie into the room. She used her magic to open the door and closed it with her foot. She walked over to the bed, but it was reluctant to let her go. Now that there was no one around, she let her eyes wander over the brunette's face.

It had been a while since she'd looked at her, she'd been avoiding her just like she knew Josie was avoiding her. These days she had been convinced that what happened was a slug-induced mistake. She and Landon had been fighting lately, he had learned that she was hiding what she knew about his mother from him and now they were separated.

But now looking at Josie that pain disappeared, leaving in its place a feeling, which, if Hope had not been so nervous, she would have sworn it was peace. The warm weight of her against her body, the scent of her shampoo, brought back the memories she'd been avoiding.

She carefully laid her down on the bed. Her face looked pale, but even with the paleness, she couldn't help how beautiful she was. She reached out her hand and caressed her cheek.

At the sound of the door opening, she pulled away and stood up.

The blonde entered the room, with a soup and a glass of mineral water.

"How is she? I brought her this in case she was hungry or nauseous"

"She still hasn't woken up"

"I'm worried, something is wrong with her"

"I think you need to tell your dad"

Then she notices how Josie began to move.

"I better go before she wakes up"

She was almost at the door when Lizzie's voice stopped her.

"You can't avoid each other forever"

"I know" she answered quietly, her eyes roaming over Josie for the last time "but I'm not ready yet"

Lizzie watched as the door closed and turned to Josie who opened her eyes.

"Hey"

"Hi" was the weak reply.

"how you feel?"

"As if I’m dying," she muttered as she tried to get up.

"Not yet, but you will if you don't do what I tell you" Lizzie commented

"What are you talking about?"

"You will go to the doctor today"

No amount of arguing, blackmailing, or cheating had been able to make Lizzie change her mind, but at least she had agreed to go to the city medical centre rather than see the school nurse, she didn't want to worry her father... So now she was in the emergency room.

"I hate being here," the brunette complained, they had been waiting for almost two hours. Her whole body ached and all she wanted to do was fall into bed and sleep for the next few days.

“It's late Lizzie. I'm exhausted and I'm telling you, if they don't call us in the next 10 minutes, I'm leaving "

"Miss Saltzman? The doctor will see it now” announced the nurse.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Lizzie asked.

"No, I'll be fine," Josie replied.

She followed the nurse into an exam room and sat there, waiting impatiently for the doctor to arrive. Ten minutes later, with a clipboard and a cup of coffee, Elena Salvatore entered the room.

"Josie, what are you doing here?" asked the brunette, surprised to see her friends' daughter.

"I've been feeling bad lately," Josie started

"Ric is here with you?" Elena asked

"No, Lizzie came with me, we don't want to worry dad, if it's just some stomach virus"

"Very good, then let's see what you have" said Elena accepting what the girl said.

The brunette asked her a series of questions, most of them were silly to Josie.

"Is there any chance you could be pregnant, Josie?" Elena asked finally.

"No, I haven't been with anyone in months since Penelope and I broke up, plus we're both girls," Josie began to explain.

"Well in that case, we'll just have to take an exam to see what's going on with you, okay?"

Josie nodded as a nurse came in and took a blood sample from her arm.

"If you want I can call Lizzie to keep you company while they test the blood, I'll go for a round and come back with the results" said Elena.

"no, it’s ok. I want to be alone” the siphon commented.

"Very good, then I'll be back with the results in a few minutes," Elena said leaving Josie alone in the room.

Josie stayed in the room, hoping that what the results showed was nothing serious. A few minutes later Elena entered the room.

"Josie, we already have the results," Elena commented looking at the medical record.

"so?"

"Josie, you are pregnant" Elena informed her.

"It can't be possible" Josie commented confused

"Are you sure, Josie?" Elena asked worried "I don’t want to think about this, but maybe at some party, something happened to you ..."

"No, I haven’t been to any party in the last two months, I haven’t been with anyone except ..." Then the night with Hope came to her mind "but it can't be possible"

"I’m very sure that you are pregnant, Josie, I asked to run the exams twice, I know that maybe this wasn’t planned, but it happens, it’s not the end of the world"

"You don't understand Aunt Elena, it can't be possible, the only person I've been with, is a girl" Josie explained.

"a girl?"

"Yes, three weeks ago we got infected with a slug, which made you act without inhibitions, I ended up sleeping with Hope Mikaelson"

"Mikaelson? Like Klaus's daughter? "

Josie nodded, she was panicking, she didn't understand how she could be pregnant.

"Well, that would coincide with the gestation time you have, according to the amount of HCG hormone you have in your system" explained Elena.

"But she's a girl, it doesn't make sense"

Elena looked at her sympathetically.

"Well over the years, I have learned not to take anything for granted with the Mikaelsons, they tend to break any rule, even those of nature," Elena commented, thinking about the very fact of Hope's existence. "To be sure, I would need to do a DNA test on Hope and compare her with the baby "

But Josie stopped listening, she only heard a hum.

_Don't worry Hope, it won't change anything._

“Lizzie, I'm just gonna take a shower. I'll be fine "Josie insisted trying to get around her sister who was blocking the door. She was tired, after begging her Aunt Elena not to say anything to her father, until she was sure what to do.

“And what if you faint there? You could hit your head and bleed to death” Lizzie had been worried about her since they left the ER, looking paler and more dazed than when she walked in. She knew something was wrong with Josie.

Josie rolled her eyes and pretended to walk to the right. When Lizzie moved to that side, she quickly turned to the left, successfully dodging her sister.

“Aunt Elena said that I was just anaemic and she had to take things easy. “Tomorrow I’ll go to the pharmacy and pick up the pills I need and next week I will see her to follow up "

The truth was that her aunt Elena had told her that she was a little anaemic but she doesn't have to go to the pharmacy for that, if not because of the prenatal vitamins that she prescribed. She saw that Lizzie reluctantly accepted the explanation. She tries to lighten the mood by joking.

“Nothing will happen to me, or do you really wanna live with someone who doesn’t bathe? "

A reluctant smile appeared on the blonde's face.

"Fine, but it'll be outside the door, I'll say your name every 10 minutes and if you don't answer I'll come in" she threatened.

"Wow"

Lizzie just rolled her eyes as she walked her sister to the bathroom.

When she closed the door, Josie's smile fell as she thought about what had happened. A baby, she thought as she stripped off her clothes. My baby, she said as she stood in front of the full-length mirror by the door.

She looked at her body. She turned to the side, her hand tracing her lower abdomen, she couldn't believe ...

"Josie!"

She drops her hand.

"Lizzie! I haven't turned on the shower yet."

"I know; I was afraid that you would have passed out before you could enter"

"I'm fine!" She shook her head, took one last look in the mirror before turning on the shower and going inside.

When the water hit her, the last bit of control she had broken. The sobs took over her body, her shoulders shook with force and she covered her mouth with her hand to avoid making a sound.

A baby? What would she do with a baby? She was too young; how would she tell Lizzie? Their parents? Hope? How could she tell her that? She wouldn't believe her; she could hardly believe it herself.

"Josie? Jo? " Lizzie's screams brought her out of her thoughts.

"I'm ..." She swallows her tears and try again "I'm fine"

She just wished she could believe that.


	5. Dirty Little Secret

It had been 4 days since Josie found out she was pregnant and carried the news inside her the same way she carried her baby, secretly.

_Everyone has secrets._

That's what she used to tell Lizzie when she complained about Hope, she always told her that everyone had secrets and that they usually kept them for good reason.

Her hand crawled to her stomach and she took a deep breath, letting it drop before she reached her destination. Yes, people had good reasons to keep secrets. In the last 4 days, Josie had acted as if everything was normal, hoping that time would make her forget the fear she felt. Until now she had not forgotten. It felt like a time bomb about to explode. She knew she couldn't keep this secret any longer.

For one, as if her body knew what was wrong, she had started to act like she was pregnant. Starting with an aversion to certain smells, like Lizzie's favourite perfume. As soon as the smell reached her, the nausea had hit her so hard that she had barely been able to leave the room and ran to the bathroom, she had missed breakfast that morning.

And it turned out that "morning sickness" was the pregnancy code for "anytime of the day" sickness. The wrong smell and she would be on her knees in front of the porcelain, no matter what time of day. Until now she had kept everything under the radar, but she knew it wouldn’t last. Sooner or later they would catch her.

Today she had managed to avoid her sister, she had walked through the forest until it started to cool, but the fresh air and cold seemed to calm her stomach. On her way back to school she was so tired that she could barely keep her eyes open and her entire body felt exhausted, she said hello to her sister and collapsed on the bed, sleep quickly claiming her.

Lizzie opened the door, hearing the knock.

"Shut up, Mikaelson. My sister is sleeping, "Lizzie warned.

Hope entered the room handing a book to the blonde. She glances at the brunette, who had black circles under her eyes and still looked pale.

"What did the doctor say?"

"According to Josie, Aunt Elena just said she was anaemic and that was it"

A small sound drew Hope's attention to Josie, who was moving in her sleep, hugging herself.

"Well, I better go" said the auburn girl.

Lizzie nodded and watched as Hope walked to the door and then turned around, grabbed a blanket and covered Josie.

"She was cold" she explain while Lizzie just rolled her eyes.

The next day Josie went to her father's office.

"Do you know where Hope is?"

"Hi dear. I think she went running by the side of the old mill, she should have come back by now "

"Thank you" she said closing the door.

She walks towards the old mill, then she hears the discussion.

"I still can't believe you lied to me, you betrayed me Hope, you had information about my mother and you didn't say anything" Landon commented

"I did it to protect you" Hope said firmly.

"What a way of you to protect, cheating on the boy you supposedly love"

"Landon"

"No, Hope, this can't go on, I can't trust you anymore"

"So, is it over? We’re done?" Hope asked in pain

"I suppose we do," said the boy before leaving.

He left by another way so he didn’t meet Josie on his way out. The brunette was about to turn and leave when Hope's voice stopped her.

"He’s gone, Josie, you can go out"

Without giving herself a chance to step back, she squared her shoulders and entered the mill.

Hope was standing where Landon had left her, her gaze was somewhat crystal clear, but she didn't let her tears fall.

"Hi, sorry about Landon"

"It doesn't matter; I'm used to people I love leaving me" she smiled sadly. "Lizzie told me you haven't been feeling well, is everything okay?"

Her eyes fluttered nervously and Hope saw a blush on her still pale face.

“Uh, well, that's what I came to talk about. I haven't told anyone yet, not even Lizzie. I just cannot. At least not yet, it's not that I don't want to, but I think I just needed to get used to the idea first and I'm definitely just getting used to it "

Hope listened to her babble, not understanding what she was trying to say, but she knew something was wrong. Not understanding the sudden urge, she reached out Josie’s hand and took both hands in hers.

"Josie, what's up?"

Josie stopped speaking as soon as she felt her touch and looked at their joined hands, gaining courage with her touch. She exhaled and spoke in a low voice.

"Do you remember the last time we spoke? I told you that nothing would change, I was wrong, everything changed "

"Josie, what are you talking about?"

"I'm pregnant" she dropped her hands and took a step back as she spoke, unable to contain the words now that it had started. “I just found out a few days ago. And I thought it was not possible, I hadn’t been with anyone since Penelope, then I remembered about us, you probably think that it doesn’t make sense, we’re both girls, this is not how it works, but nothing in your family makes sense, you father had been dead for 1000 years before you were born, it’s clear that the same rules don’t apply in your family as with others "

Josie looked up to see how Hope was frozen in her place, her eyes bulged out and her mouth opening and closing without any sound coming out. Afraid of what she might say, she began to speak faster.

“Aunt Elena said she could help do the paternity test, if you want. I know you're surprised, I was surprised too, I guess you need time to process everything, so I'll go and let you start… thinking "

Josie ran off, her hands shaking.

Hope saw her run away and wanted to call her out, but her voice didn't work. She could only stand there as she watched Josie run back to school. Her words played over and over in her head.

_I'm pregnant_

Josie was going to have a baby, HER baby. It didn't make sense, they were both girls, but she was sure Josie wouldn't lie to her about something so serious. So it had to be true, somehow, she would have a baby, with Josie. The enormity of it hit her, she staggered to the old chair, her legs no longer able to support her.

_I am a freak._

_You are not a freak, you are a miracle, our miracle baby, something I thought I could never have._ She remembered her father’s words

_A miracle._

_Our miracle baby._

Her miracle baby. The words made something flutter in her stomach, something that terrified and thrilled her at the same time. If what Josie said was true, she would have a family, one of her own, she would not be condemned to be alone, to be the only one of her kind. Her wolf inside her felt the connection, she was sure that was the reason why her wolf felt this protectionism towards Josie the last days, it couldn't be anything else.

Now the breakup with Landon felt different. Now she was going to have a baby with Josie, the girl who cared more for others than herself, who was intelligent but also humble, who loved with a ferocity that she envied.

Hope felt a smile appear on her face.

Josie nervously moved her hands across her lap, trembling slightly, the thin fabric of the hospital gown offering no protection from the air conditioning in the exam room. She was waiting for her aunt Elena.

The door opened to reveal the brunette, with a folder in her hands.

"Hi Josie, today we will do another blood test, have you decided what you are going to do?" Elena asked

"Not yet" said the girl.

“Okay, have you already told Hope and your family? Because you will need a support system to cope with what you decide” said Elena with concern. She didn't want Josie to go through all this alone.

"I told Hope, but I really don't know what she thinks about it, she probably doesn't believe me, who would believe me, it sounds like crazy" Josie commented, since she had talked to her, every time she closed her eyes she saw her astonished face " I just told her yesterday, she must still be processing it "

She let her words trail off, not wanting to feel the isolation that surrounded her. She had no one, she wished she could tell her mother. Have someone hug her and tell her that everything would be okay, that she would be okay.

As if reading her mind, Elena hugged her.

"You'll be fine, Josie, I'm sure that as soon as you tell Caroline and Ric they will support you, as for Hope, I would have a little faith, the Mikaelsons really appreciate the family and if none of that works, you have Damon and me, okay? "

The girl nodded silently.

"Okay, then I'll do some blood tests, to see how you are"

Elena gave her a physical exam before leaving the room to do the blood tests. Josie dressed silently. A few minutes later Elena returned with a rather gloomy expression.

"What happens?" Josie asked worriedly.

"Your blood reveals a high amount of HCG hormones"

"I don't understand, what does that mean?"

Elena sighed.

“These hormones are generally present in high levels in high-risk pregnancies, which together with your high blood pressure worries me a bit. I'll draw a little more of your blood for further tests, okay? "

Josie nodded as she watched the tubes fill with blood and Elena left the room.

A few moments later, Elena returned and handed her little pamphlets with different pregnancy topics including "high risk pregnancy".

“Just because you have this hormone doesn’t mean that you’ll have a high risk pregnancy. However, now would be a good time to terminate the pregnancy if you no longer want to continue”

Josie looked at her with pained eyes.

"What do you want to do, Josie?"


	6. Family Above All

Josie walked into her room, hoping to find her sister.

"Lizzie?"

"She is not here" informed Hope's voice who was sitting on the side of her bed, she jumped when she heard it. The memory of their last conversation sent butterflies to her stomach. "She went out with MG to see a movie if you want to join them"

Just thinking of the smell of her sister's perfume combined with the smell of cheese fries that MG loved made her stomach turn.

"No thanks, how did you get in?"

"Magic"

Josie rolled her eyes.

"Of course"

When she took off her jacket, a couple of brochures fell off. She leaned over to pick them up, but found that a pair of hands were faster.

Hope's eyebrows rise when she read the title of a pamphlet . _You and your baby_. Josie gently took it from her hands and placed the papers on her nightstand.

"I just came from the doctor"

Hope straightened at her reserved tone.

"what did they tell you?"

She avoided her eyes.

"I have all the signs of a high risk pregnancy"

"what does that mean?" Hope asked fearfully. What if it had to do with being a tribrid? Had her genes doomed her child from the beginning? Her wolf squirmed inside her, it had already accepted Josie's baby as its own, part of its pack. It was not going to allow any harm to the girl and their future pup.

She silently hands her one of the pamphlet titled "High Risk Pregnancy". She watched as fear covered her face and was a bit hesitant to tell her the next part, but she knew Hope deserved the truth.

"She also told me that if I wanted to interrupt the pregnancy now would be the right time"

Hope froze looking up at her. From the moment she had accepted what Josie said, a million scenarios of how this could work had crossed her mind. Some terrified her, while others made her happier than she had been in a long time. But she had never considered the possibility that Josie didn't want the baby. Suddenly the idea of her baby seemed out of reach and she wondered if the brunette had already done it. Had her child left before she was sure that she was ready for it? Fear washed over her.

"What do you want?" she forced herself to ask.

"It would be ... easier" she admitted looking down. Then she smiled "but when did you know that I do something the easy way?"

The tightness in the tribrid's chest eased and she was able to breathe again.

Josie wasn't sure what to do until her Aunt Elena had said about terminating the pregnancy, a cold, clinical way of saying that she would kill her baby.

In that moment, the baby had been real to her. Not a mistake in lab results or a problem she didn't know how to handle, but something real, a part of her. And a ferocity had invaded her, a certainty that this baby was hers and she would not let anything harm it.

“You know, my family has a sacred vow, as sacred as always and forever. The family above all, we all honour it, it’s part of being a Mikaelson, it’s part of being my family” Hope shrugged “this baby… is my family”

Hope's hand reached out to where the baby rested.

"Does that mean you believe me?"

Hope nodded.

"I believe you, Josie, my wolf feels it"

"So I guess that makes us family too" she said covering Hope's with her hand.

Josie had meant that as a statement, but it had sounded like a question.

Hope nodded calmly with a soft smile on her lips.

“A weird, strange, and dysfunctional, but family nonetheless. So why don't we agree on that for now? Family above all. The rest can wait "

Josie wondered how she had known she was concerned about that, the shifting lines of their barely nascent friendship. What would this pregnancy do to them? How are they supposed to act? What did they expect of them? All those questions had plagued her mind and then with a simple statement, she would have managed to calm all her doubts. She nodded.

"Family above all"

Hope found herself looking into her eyes, losing herself in the brown there. Her hand tightened on hers and Josie moved away.

"Well in that case you should catch up" she said taking out the pamphlets.

Josie sat on the bed, Hope stand up from the chair and sat next to Josie on the bed. She could feel the heat radiating from the tribrid, it was unexpected how comforting it was.

"Let's start with this one" Hope said taking the one that said high risk.

"Hope" Josie sighed taking her hand. Hope looked at their clasped hands "I only have indications of one, that does not mean I have a high risk pregnancy"

"So why did your aunt think that?" She demands.

"Because I passed out and my blood pressure is higher than normal." When Hope simply looked at her, she relented. “And I have a high level of hormones. But my aunt said, women can have that and still have a healthy pregnancy"

 _But no human has ever carrying a baby tribrid_ , Hope thought. What if Josie's body was unable to carry the baby to term? Her mother had done it with her, but Hayley was a werewolf with accelerated healing.

"Josie, did your aunt tell you if there was something ... different with the baby, if it was like me?"

"She didn't say anything, although we should ask her to do some tests" Josie commented, when worry continued to darken Hope's blue eyes, she tried to talk to her with the same argument she used for herself "Hope, I'm healthy, I'm strong, the baby has many possibilities "

"You are not afraid?" asked the tribrid.

"Terrified but worrying about it won't keep my blood pressure low"

Hope nodded and followed her example, not dwelling on what frightened both of them. She knew she had to tell her family, but she didn't feel ready to break the news yet, not when Josie was having problems with the baby. It wouldn't increase the pressure on Josie by forcing her to confront her family.

For tonight it was enough that they were here, facing this together. Her gaze strayed from over the pamphlets and she noticed a picture of a baby on the front of one, and she found herself suddenly eager to know everything.

"Can you already feel the baby?"

Josie laughed, feeling relieved for the first time since she found out. Somehow being alone with Hope in the semi-lit room felt good. As if everything is going to be okay.

"Hope, the baby is only a few weeks old, it’s more of a group of cells than a baby right now"

"Have you had morning sickness or cravings?" she asked remembering her Aunt Freya's comments when Keelin was pregnant with little Nik.

Josie made an adorable face.

“I still have no cravings, but plenty of throwing up. And by the way _morning sickness_ , is just a starting point, I throw up all the time. A lot more when Lizzie wears her favourite perfume "

Hope just smiled as she listened to her complain.

"Your baby hates her aunt's perfume" she rolled her eyes affectionately.

"Your sister uses a lot of perfume" Hope wrinkled her nose and they shared a smile. "Have you already told Lizzie?"

Somehow she knew, that she hadn't done it yet. She had every certainty that the moment the blonde knew, she would appear before her and probably bewitch and torture her for making her sister pregnant.

Josie shook her head and looked down. Trying not to imagine her sister's reaction to the news.

"your family?"

"Not yet, I needed to understand it myself first before deciding to break the news to someone else."

"I get it"

"When will you tell them?" Hope asked.

"I don't know, soon, I guess" she decided halfway, she didn't feel like having that discussion at the time "I don't know how long I can hide this from Lizzie"

She takes out the rest of the pamphlets and hand half to Hope.

"Who knew that having a baby meant more homework?" Hope joked.

"This will make up for the homework you don't do when you hunt monsters" Josie joked back.

They settled into Josie's bed and started reading everything. As time went by Josie began to feel her eyes close and yawn.

"Tired?" Hope's compressive voice asked.

Josie nodded, forcing her eyes open.

“Yes, I have been feeling pretty tired these days. Aunt Elena said I would feel that way until my body adjusted” Her eyes closed.

She felt Hope gently lift her up.

"What are you doing?"

"I remove the blankets so you can lie down better" commented the tribrid, she took off her shoes, covered her with the blankets and watched as she sighed, already asleep. She stood by the bed for a long time, unable to avoid the soft smile on her lips.

She picked up the pamphlets, stuffing them into her jean’s pocket, turned off the light, and opened the door. Closing it carefully, she turned around and nearly collided with Lizzie.

"What were you doing in my room, Mikaelson?" She asks, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.

"I was talking to Josie" she said without giving more information.

"my dad is looking for you, something about a Malivore" Lizzie said reluctantly.

"Are they all fine, are there any monsters?"

"No, no monster has shown up" Lizzie replied

"I have to go then, I have something important to do, if your dad asks I'm busy" she said quickly to the blonde in front of the door.

Lizzie was surprised, usually Hope ran to her father when it came to Malivore and potential danger, but the girl seemed distracted.

Hope looked up at the door, thinking on the girl in the other side and the precious cargo inside her.

"Bye, we'll talk tomorrow" she turned and left, leaving the confused blonde behind her.

She entered her room and gathered all the ingredients to do an astral projection, she needed to talk to Freya. She settled into the circle of salt and began to sing the words.

"Hope? What are you doing here, what’s wrong? " Freya asked.

"I need help, aunt Freya"

"Sure, I'm up to anything, just tell me what happens?"

"Josie is pregnant" she announced to her aunt "it might sounds crazy, but the baby is mine"

Freya looked at her for a moment without answering.

“You know when we found out that the three types of species were in you, Keelin and I began to wonder how nature would handle your condition. Keelin thought that it would do the same as with your father, it would find a way to create more like you no matter with whom, that you would adapt in some way to create your own bloodline, it seems that my brilliant wife was right "

"I need answers Aunt Freya, Josie…." She wasn't sure whether to tell her how Josie felt and what the doctor had said.

 _Family above all_ , Josie's voice came as clear to her as if she had whispered in her ear.

“Josie has been feeling bad, her aunt who is a doctor thinks something might be wrong. I need to know if this pregnancy could harm Josie. I need your help"

She was not only worried about her baby, but also about Josie. She had to make sure she was safe.

"I'll be there in a few days," Freya said.

"thanks"

With a flash of light, Hope was in her room again, she lay down on the floor, looked around her room, the paintings half started, photos of her family and the books Dr. Saltzman wrote about her family. The terror, the thirst for blood and the evil, but he was not talking about something even more important, the love for the family _, the love she now felt for her baby_ , she thought smiling, that meant much more than anything in the world.

She couldn't explain the tug on her heart since she found out. She had pushed away everything else, even that feeling of sadness at not belonging, being the only one of her kind. All her life, no matter what she did, that feeling was always present, colouring everything she did. Sadness had shaded her happiness, darkened her pain, and intensified her fears. But today that she had sat down with Josie, for the first time there was something more important, something that overshadowed everything. Josie and her baby.

With a sigh she pulled the pamphlets out of her pocket and began to read.


	7. Look After You

Josie opened her eyes, it was still dark and cool, and she didn't need to look at the clock to know that her body had awakened her again ready for the attack of morning sickness. She crawled out of bed, careful not to wake her sister.

She walks down the lonely hall to the bathroom. She turned on the faucet to mask the sound of her throwing up and leaned over to the side of the toilet. Once her stomach was empty, she brushed her teeth wearily and returned to her room, carefully crawling into bed. Knowing that it wouldn't be long before the dream claimed her.

The Valentine's party was in two days; Josie had decided not to go. She had fooled Lizzie with the excuse that it was too painful after Penelope, and if nothing else had happened that would have been true. She had been the first person to whom she had given her heart and she had walked away from her without any explanation.

Surprised, she realized it was the first time in weeks that she had thought about her breakup. The love for Penelope was not as strong as before. Her pregnancy had taken care of that, it had been everything she had focused on. Her feelings for Penelope had faded into the background and had slowly begun to fade. She had to put the past behind her and focus on the future.

A future that now included Hope.

Hope, the second reason she wasn't going to that party. She knew that Landon would be there with Rafael and the others and although she had never had a problem with Landon, she knew Hope longer. Even without the pregnancy, she was sure that she would side with Hope, she deserved to have someone to support her. And even if she decided to go to the party, she couldn't be there and watch her suffer.

Josie sighed in the dark, trying to imagine how Hope will feel with this date so close. They saw each other every night, Hope would always come to her room with mineral water and crackets for her sickness, they would talk until Lizzie arrived. What was even more surprising was how much she looked forward to those talks. They spoke with an openness they had never had before, as if they had lowered an invisible barrier between them. The first few minutes they always talked about how she felt and even though she felt that she was growing weaker every day, she always assures her that she was fine.

Then they would talk about nothing important, any chore they had commissioned at the time, any thoughts that crossed their mind, and little things. But still she enjoyed it more than she thought possible. Her reassuring tone and carefree demeanour made her think that everything would be fine.

But the only topic they had avoided was Landon and the upcoming Valentine's party. She didn't know if Hope would go and had no idea how to broach the subject.

Lizzie on the other hand. She had barely seen her all week. She had spent most of her free time coordinating the party, going over last minute details. The positive side of that is she didn't need to hide the effects of her pregnancy as much.

Josie bit her lip, her hand tentatively moving under the covers and pausing on the lower part of her stomach. She kept busy so she wouldn't have time to worry, but at times like these, when it was just her and her thoughts, she couldn't stop. She was terrified.

She was too young, unprepared. She was at school, how was she going to support a baby?

But more than that, more than the financial worries of caring for a baby or having such a great responsibility at such a young age. It was the moment when she held the baby for the first time that scared her. What if the baby looks at her and knows that she is not enough? Would it be a disappointment to her baby from the beginning?

A wave of exhaustion hit her and she felt her eyelids begin to close. Her worries began to fade as her body's needs took over and with a yawn, she closed her eyes, her hand still stretched across her stomach.

Later that day, after Lizzie left her so she could give orders to the witches for the party. Josie decided to continue her research on the merge, she was buried in books when her phone rang.

It was from the Mystic Falls Medical Centre. With fear she replied.

"Hello?"

"Josie? It's me Elena. I already have the results of your blood tests "

She squeezed the phone tight, was it her imagination or was there sadness in her aunt's voice?

"and?"

"I think it would be better to discuss the results in person"

"It's ... okay" Josie stuttered, fear freezing her "when do you want me to be there?"

"As soon as possible, right now I have free time"

"I'll be there" she hung up, hurried to her room, grabbed the keys of the Camaro from Lizzie's nightstand and drove to the medical centre. She went in and asked to speak to Dr. Salvatore, her voice sounded strange.

Martha, the nurse behind the desk, picked up the phone and then led her to an examination room.

" What am I doing here? I'm supposed to come for my blood test results. "

Martha shrugged.

"I'm sorry Miss Saltzman, I don't know anything about your case, the doctor asked to wait her here, she will be here shortly"

When the door closed behind her, Josie sat down on the stretcher, sighing as she rubbed her eyes. She forced her mind to remain blank and not jump to desperate conclusions.

"Hi, Josie." She looked up to see her Aunt Elena at the door.

"What happens?"

"There have been some developments that we have to talk about"

"Ok" she said distractedly, she was shaking.

Elena could see how distraught the teenager was in front of her. She felt bad for the girl, but she forced herself to straighten up and speak like a doctor.

"Your body is reacting to baby as if it were a disease, apparently the baby is taking too much of you that is forcing your body to create antibodies against it. In massive quantities I must say "

"What are you trying to tell me is that my body is killing my baby?" she whispered painfully, it was so much that she couldn't breathe.

"No Josie, it's just genetics, your body can't adapt fast enough to the baby's needs, whatever is causing this I've never seen before and it's a lot coming from me, I think the closest thing would be what happened in those Twilight movies "

The nurse came in calling Elena, apparently there was an emergency of some kind.

"I'll be back as soon as possible Josie" Elena said leaving the room.

Josie felt, her throat too tight to say words. When she was alone in the room, she hugged herself tightly and felt the phone in her jacket pocket. Desperately, she took the cell phone and dialled, hoping that soft voice would answer on the other line and make her believe that everything would be fine.

"Hello?"

She tried to speak, but couldn't force the words out of her mouth. Tears spilled from her face as her breathing became more ragged.

"Hello, Josie?" At the other end of the line, Hope was beginning to worry. When Josie's name appeared on her cell phone, she couldn't stop the little emotion that had run through her. But that emotion faded when she heard her sob on the line, she felt the panic rise inside her. "Josie, what's wrong?"

"Hope ... I need you to come to the hospital, something is wrong" she finally spoke.

"I will be there" said the tribrid in a strong and determined way, although her legs were shaking so much that she was not sure she could walk. “what room are you in?”

Josie looked around the room before her eyes met the door.

"213. Hurry up"

It took Hope less than 5 minutes to get there, she ran to the hospital in her wolf form carrying her clothes on her snout. She entered the hospital looking for the room, when she found it without wasting time she entered.

"Josie?"

The brunette raised her head and fear seized her heart when she saw that she was crying.

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I ran in wolf form here, what's wrong?"

Josie pursed her lips, trying to get the courage to tell her that her body was trying to kill their baby.

“I got a call from Aunt Elena. The results of my blood test were ready and she asked me to come. She told me that something was wrong "

 _The baby_ , Hope thought worriedly, stood in front of her.

"What happens?"

Josie wiped her tears away with her hand.

"They don't know, just that my body is not adapting to what it needs and my body is creating antibodies against it"

Pain like never before pierced Hope's heart. She closed her eyes and clenched her jaw trying to steady herself. Her fears had been correct, Josie's body could not maintain the pregnancy because the baby was just like her. No matter how powerful she was, she couldn't protect her child, she couldn't protect the baby from being like her, and she doesn't need Josie to say the words to know they were going to lose the baby. Nothing else could cause the pain that she saw on the brunette's face. The last of her control was gone and she pulled away so Josie wouldn't see her haunted expression and the tears in her eyes.

Josie closed her eyes as the tribrid turned. Tears running freely down her face. She knew Hope was blaming her for what was happening. She couldn't get mad at her for that, not when she felt the same way. She had been right, she couldn't handle this, couldn't even keep her child safe inside her.

"I'm so sorry," Josie whispered.

Hope turned around in surprise

"what?"

"This is all my fault, if I were stronger" she confess

The tribrid instinctively went to her and took her in her arms, feeling her shudder as she tried to control her emotions.

“Josie, this isn’t your fault, trust me. You have done nothing wrong "

The brunette clung to her arms, wanting to believe her.

Hope didn't want her to blame herself, when she knew it was all her fault. It was her genes that had doomed their baby.

"Josie, you've done everything you can to protect this baby, I'm the one with the problem, I'm the one who condemned our baby from the start"

"I'm sorry for the delay," Elena commented upon entering the room and stopped in surprise, looking at the young couple embracing. The auburn girl raised her head and met her gaze. Her eyes had the same tears and pain as Josie's. Despite the seriousness of the situation, Elena's concern lessened knowing that Josie would not face this alone. "Hi, I'm Elena Salvatore, Josie's doctor and aunt."

Hope nodded, releasing a hand.

"I'm Hope Mikaelson, I'm the ... Josie is my ... we are ..."

Elena took mercy on Hope and interrupted her.

"It's good to know that Josie is not alone"

"She’s not" Hope said seriously.

"I didn't have time to finish, but it's good that the two of you are together now, because we have some things to consider," Elena commented.

She didn't like the doctor's words, but she stood firm for Josie.

"This disease is very similar to Rh incompatibility, only more severe, your body is wearing down due to the amount of antibodies it is developing against the baby, plus having to cope with the needs of pregnancy, that's why you feel so bad "

"and the baby?" Josie asked.

"The baby is fine, from last week's exams until now, it doesn’t show any harm to the fetus, my fear is that the special condition of the fetus could make more of a dent in Josie's body"

The brunette's hand squeezed Hope's hand.

Elena looked at Hope

"I think it would be nice if you could give me some of your blood to do some tests and learn everything we can from you to help Josie" asked Elena.

"No problem" Hope agreed.

"Okay, I'll do a physical exam" Elena commented to Josie as she handed her a gown.

Josie reached for the thin cotton laid it on her lap, staring at her, feeling overwhelmed. When she looked up she saw Hope follow Elena out of the room.

"Hope?"

Hope looked at the terror in Josie's eyes and reassured her.

"I'm going to be outside while she does the exam, I'll be back ..."

"No, please stay" Josie asked.

The tribrid nodded, unable to deny her anything.

"Just let me know when you've changed and I'll be back"

"ok" her voice was small and seemed so fragile that the tribrid wanted to hug her again and promise that she would find a way to make all this better. But it was a promise that she didn't know if she could keep, so she just nodded again and closed the door behind her.

Once outside, she leaned against the wall and let out a heavy sigh, trying to stay strong for Josie when all she wanted to do was scream at the universe for being so unfair.

"Hope?"

Elena's voice brought her back to reality, the doctor approached her with a syringe and prepared to draw blood from the tribrid.

“No matter what we find out today, I need you to understand that Josie needs a lot of support now. Physically and emotionally, it does not matter if the results show that you aren’t the baby's other parent "

"I am" surprised her how quickly she had responded and how deep the possessiveness that struck her "the baby is mine, my wolf already claims it as ours"

"I'm ready," Josie commented in a voice low enough that Hope doubted Elena would hear her.

Elena took Hope's sample and tucked it into her robe as she entered the room followed by the tribrid.

Josie was lying on the table, her blue robe making her look even paler. Her hand covered hers immediately.

She stayed with her the rest of the day. Her embarrassment on the physical exam and her concern about everything came in second. The only thing that mattered was what Josie needed. She didn't even care that now Elena had her and their baby's blood in her possession. The blood that she had taken so much care not to fall into the hands of strangers. But now she would do anything to save the baby.

Hours later she stood outside the room waiting for Josie to get dressed. As soon as they finished here, she would take her to her aunt Freya. The witch had sent her a message telling her that she had reached Mystic Falls and was waiting for her at her family's old mansion.

When Elena returned with the results, she joined Josie in the room.

"Josie until we know exactly what is happening, you will come weekly ok?" the brunette nodded "there is also something else that worries me"

"What happens?" Josie asked

“The baby is not the only thing that worries me. You've lost 5 pounds in a week, Josie. Your blood pressure is even higher and this pregnancy is putting a lot of pressure on you. I’m concerned that more emotional or physical stress could cause a miscarriage, you probably don't want to hear this, but as your doctor I’m obliged to say so. The truth is, you may not be able to carry this pregnancy to term. Right now you’re in as much danger as the baby” Elena took a deep breath “I think we need to talk about your options”

“No” her voice cut the air “don't even say it. I'm having this baby”

"Jo" called Hope

"No, Hope, I’m going to have this baby, there is no discussion" with a confidence that she did not feel she turned to Elena "is there anything else I have to do?"

Elena saw her niece. She was showing the same fierceness as Caroline.

“First you must restrict your activities, I don't want you to lift anything heavier than a pencil, no jogging or playing any sport. Take it easy and rest often. The stronger you are; the more chances the baby has. To overcome this, you must avoid stress at all costs. Your pregnancy is very fragile at the moment and anything can happen "

Josie and Hope nodded, their faces are pale.

"anything else?"

Elena smiled bittersweetly.

"Wait for a miracle, I've seen some" She look at Hope "maybe you'll be lucky"

Josie nodded unable to speak because of the sudden lump in her throat.

"Come on" Hope said putting a hand on Josie's back "where's the car?"

Josie was gone, her only connection to reality was the warmth of Hope's hand against her jacket. She glances at the girl, who is waiting expectantly for her answer. She looks at the parking lot and walk slowly to the car, handing her the keys.

"Hope?" her voice was so low that she doubted if Hope didn't have her wolf hearing she would have heard it. "Mmm?" she said as she started the car and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Could I stay with you? I don't want Lizzie to see me like this"

The confidence she showed in front of Elena had faded, her nose was red, her eyes were puffy and she looked exhausted. If she came back like this, Josie knew Lizzie would ask questions. Questions that would cause the stress they wanted to avoid. Right now Hope would do anything she asked, anything that would make things easier for her.

"okay"

Josie sighed in relief that she hadn't argued and leaned her head back against the seat, sleep claiming her as soon as her head hit the seat. She woke up when she felt being lifted, tilted her head to look at Hope's face.

"Hey"

"Hi" Hope said back, as she closed the car door "let's go inside so you can rest well"

"Okay" Josie said feeling the movement.

Hope opened the door to her room, trying not to wake her. Fortunately, she hadn't passed anyone on her way to the room. She put Josie on her bed and remove her shoes. She covered her with a blanket and then pulled a chair closer to the bed. She sat up and watched her sleep, feeling lost.

She texted Freya saying she would see her later. She needed Freya to see Josie and give her a solution to what was happening.

She was worried about Josie, her mind was thinking different scenarios and none of them were good.

She could lose them both. That is what had been behind Elena's words, that the chances of survival were very slim. She looked back at Josie, her face calm as she slept. She longed to reach out and touch her, to reassure herself with that physical contact that she was there and going nowhere. But she didn't want to risk waking her up. She needed to rest, and from now on, Hope would make sure she got everything she needed.

Then, she sat quietly, watching over the person who was becoming the most important part of her life.

The moonlight crossing the dark room was the first thing she saw when Josie opened her eyes. The second was Hope.

"Hey"

"Hi"

"what time is it?" she winced at the faint sound of her voice.

"After 10" Hope stared at her, as she slowly turned to look into her eyes. “Josie, Elena said you are worse than last week. You should have realized what was happening, why didn't you tell me? "

"I didn't want you to worry about me, you already had too much on your plate with everything else" she admitted "besides if I said it out loud it was real you know?"

“I understand” Hope nodded “but it's my job to worry about you and baby now. Family above all, remember? "

Josie smiled.

“Family above all. Well if I go now I can get Lizzie to not ask questions, where are my shoes? "

She handed them over and stood up as she put it on. She seemed so weak and exhausted that Hope couldn't take it anymore and spoke.

"Josie I have to tell you something"

"Can it wait, Hope?" despite having slept, she still felt tired "all I want to do is go to bed"

And with that statement, Hope says nothing. It didn't matter what she wanted, it only mattered what was best for Josie. Maybe if she rested more she could take her to Freya and listen to what her aunt had to say.

"Yes, it can wait"

Josie walked to the door, opened it, then stopped, staring at her. The day had also taken on her its toll, the tribrid looked as tired as she.

"Hope?"

"yes?"

"Thank you for being there when I needed it"

The tribrid nodded.

“I will always be there for you, Josie. Always and Forever"


	8. Figures

Hope was lying on the bed, her eyes showed no emotion, she didn't see the ceiling, but a hospital room, hearing the warning in her head over and over again.

_To overcome this, you must avoid stress at all costs. Your pregnancy is very fragile at the moment and anything can happen._

Her heart contracted at the memory, she exhaled hard. No matter how long she lived, she knew she would remember that day until the end of time. How could you forget the day someone told you that your baby was unlikely to live long enough to hold it?

She had to talk to Josie, she had to take her to Freya, but she also knew that she had to wait until Josie was stronger to receive any news that her aunt could give them. She just needed to rest first, she repeated it to herself over and over again since they had left the hospital.

She had wanted to believe it, and she supposed Josie did too, but she didn't stop the fear that clouded them both.

She stood up and went to her closet to find what she would wear for the day. She left her room with a sad smile, she looked at the corridors decorated for the Valentine's party that would be held tomorrow. Lizzie's voice reminded her all the reasons why she should go.

_You have to show the Hobbit that you’ve move on and what is most important to yourself._

It seemed as if everyone she loved was destined to abandon her at some point and she would be left alone with the memories of happier times.

After a particularly rough day, running into Landon in various classes hadn't been easy, much less seeing one of the witches flirt with him.

She walked down the hall when she saw Josie walking into her room.

"Hey" she greet the brunette.

"Hi, I thought you forgot about me. I mean, I haven't heard from you all day” Josie joked, letting her into her room.

Hope found herself smiling at the witch. They had reached a new understanding in their friendship. She had gotten so used to talking every night. At first it was just to see her and make sure she was okay. But she began to enjoy their conversations, which soon began to change. She would tell her what she had done that day and Josie would just listen to her carefully. The brunette in turn commented on how she felt or whatever Lizzie tried to include her in.

"Oh yeah, my incredibly interesting day," Hope teased, as she flopped into the chair next to Josie's bed.

"What can I say, it's been boring lately" Josie laughed "Really, how are you?"

"I've been better, how are you?"

"Lizzie caught me throwing up today," she said softly.

"What did you say to her?"

"Something about dinner had made me sick, I don't know if she believed it"

"Wait, isn't that what you said to MG days ago?" Hope asked.

Josie winced as she realized her mistake.

"Yeah, let's hope they don't share that information or Lizzie will tell dad"

Silence stretched between them, uncomfortable for the first time.

"are you going to the party?" Hope asked, remembering the valentine's party.

"No, with everything that happened yesterday, I just want to rest," said the brunette lying on her bed.

Her words fuelled fear within Hope.

"Josie, how do you really feel?"

Josie gave a big sigh.

"I'm following the orders my aunt Elena gave me, Hope" her voice softened "we'll get through this and everything will be fine"

_She just needs to rest_ , Hope repeated inside her.

"Plus I'm sure what happens at that party will guarantee that anyone will throw up, and now I'm more susceptible than most, so I pass" Josie joked.

"I’m going; Lizzie says it would be good to show that I’m over Landon" commented the tribrid.

"You know, my sister isn’t always right and you have nothing to prove"

Hope wanted to tell her all the reasons that it was good and healthy for her to go to the party, but she couldn't remember any.

"Well if you want to talk or not talk tomorrow, you know where to find me," Josie offered.

"Thanks, Jo"

"Anytime, Hope"

"Well, Lizzie will be here any minute, so I better get out of here."

"Okay, I'll talk to you tomorrow"

"Good night Josie"

"Good night Hope"

The tribrid left the room with a smile, which faded when she looked at Landon talking to the witch.

She just wanted to get to her room and sleep until this was all over.

The next day Hope was walking into the dining room when she was approached by Rafael.

"You need to talk to Landon" said the wolf.

"I don't think it's a good idea, Raf" Hope commented, continuing on her way.

"that's it?"

"what do you want me to do?" Hope asked confused, Landon had broken up with her, not the other way around. "Landon made it very clear that he no longer wanted to have anything to do with me, I'm not going to beg him"

There was more to consider now, she couldn't leave out Josie and the baby.

"Hope ..."

“Look Raf, I did what I could to protect Landon, I won't apologize for that. Lying to Landon was one of the most difficult things I had to do, but I did it for him, so he would not suffer” she clarified

There were only two memories that hurt more than the breakup with Landon: the death of his parents and the moment when Elena had told her that it was possible that neither Josie nor the baby would live. They were things she couldn't stop, but Landon was different. It was not something that could change, he had made the choice. He broke up with her and considering that he hadn't approached her since then, he was happy with his decision.

Unable to take any longer, she left the wolf alone in the hall.

Later she walks into Josie's room and knock on the door.

"Josie? Are you there?" she asks.

The brunette opened the door dressed in pyjamas.

"Were you asleep? It's 2 in the afternoon"

"I know what time it is Hope" she said hoarsely "Lizzie is gone, as well as her horrible perfume, which means I can sleep more without interruptions of sickness"

"I need to talk to you" commented the tribrid.

"Sure"

Josie stepped aside and let her pass. The brunette walked to the bed tiredly.

"you're good?"

Josie nodded wearily. She sat on the edge of the bed.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready for the party?"

"I’m not going"

"I thought you would take Lizzie's advice"

"I don't think it's a good idea" her words were tired as she looked down at the floor. Josie wanted to get close to her, but didn't know how. The tribrid had been for her in the doctor's office when she needed someone and now that she was the one who was suffering, she had no way of helping her.

"fair enough" said Josie

"I need you to come with me," Hope asked.

"Okay, just give me time to get ready"

"No hurry"

It was almost two hours after Josie was ready. Her movements felt slow and she was so tired that it was an effort to keep her eyes open. She saw the concern in Hope's eyes as she watched her every move.

"I'm fine Hope" she tries to reassure the auburn girl.

But Hope's concern grew when she noticed that she was paler than the last time she saw her. She took each step cautiously, as if she was in pain. She'd thought two days off would have made Josie a little stronger, but it hadn't. Now she was weaker than before.

"Josie, you're getting worse"

Josie sat next to her on the bed and sighed softly.

"I know, but aunt Elena warned that it wouldn’t be easy"

"When is your next appointment?" Hope asked when Josie got up to grab her jacket.

"Tuesday"

"I want to go with you"

"ok" Josie hid her relief at not having to go to the date alone, feeling more courageous at the thought of facing her test results with Hope there.

Hope was relieved that Josie let her accompany her, she opened the bedroom door and they went downstairs.

They passed through the main hall of the school, where the party was taking place. Hope paused for a moment watching Landon with Rafael and the girl she had seen her talk to him the last few days.

She saw Landon smile at the witch. Hope looked at Josie and took her hand, lacing her fingers with the younger girl.

This was the moment Josie wanted to avoid, to see her suffer and not be able to do anything to stop it. But she had chosen her side, and if that meant being there for her, then she would not prefer to be anywhere else.

"You know, you can go there and talk to him"

"No, I don't think I can do that" said Hope "the betrayals of the people we love, intentional or not, are the worst"

"who?"

"My father" Hope smiled sadly.

They both watched as Landon approached the girl and kissed her.

"Sorry, Hope. I know how much this hurts "

"It feels like my heart is breaking, but I guess it's my fault," she admitted with a sad laugh.

"love is difficult"

"It doesn't matter anymore, the only thing that matters now is you and the baby" said Hope.

"Hope, you’re part of this family and I want you to be happy," Josie tried to reason.

"I know, but Landon already made his choice and now I'm making mine" she looked into her friend's eyes "I think it's time to go"

"ok"

Hope took one last look at Landon and then left without looking back.


	9. High Hopes

Josie was a bit surprised when Hope led them to a large mansion outside of Mystic Falls. Hope refused to look at her until she parked the car in front of the big house.

"Well, I have to admit that this was not what I expected, where are we?"

Hope took a deep breath.

“This house is mine, my father left it to me when he died. Aunt Freya is waiting for us inside "

"what?"

"I asked her for help, for you"

"I thought you still didn't tell your family," Josie said a little nervous to meet a member of Hope's family.

Hope got out of the car and walked purposefully to the door, and Josie followed her. The tribrid opened the door, letting Josie pass first.

They walked into the great room when Hope was assaulted by a blonde woman, who hugged the girl as if she hadn't seen her for a long time.

“Aunt Freya, this is Josie. Josie, my aunt Freya” Hope introduced them.

"Welcome to the family, Josie" said the witch. "Although I would have liked to meet you in better circumstances"

"Nice to meet you, Freya. Just like me, nobody knew this would happen" Josie commented touching her still flat stomach.

Freya smiled.

"Yes, it seems that my dear niece has the same disdain for the rules of nature as my brother" Freya joked.

Josie smiled looking at Hope who just blushed at the comment.

"Auntie, I need you to help me keep Josie and the baby safe"

"Don't worry, Hope. I brought everything to do some tests on Josie and find out what we are dealing with, we’ll solve this” reassured Freya.

Josie caressed her belly somewhat cautiously.

"Will it hurt the baby?"

"No, Josie. You're safe” assured Freya.

"Well then, what do I have to do?"

"Let's do a magical paternity test first" Freya commented.

"I don't think it's necessary, it's mine, I'm sure" Hope said, annoyed with her aunt.

"Okay, Hope. It's your family and they just want to make sure. It doesn't bother me” Josie tried to calm the angry wolf.

Freya poked Josie's finger, scooping out some blood and pouring it into a bowl and did the same to Hope.

The witch Mikaelson sang a few words in a language unknown to the siphon, she expected the blood to do something, but there was no change in the bowl.

"everything is alright?" Josie asked.

"Yes" smiled Freya "congratulations Hope, you will be a mother. Josie carries the next generation of the Mikaelson’s family. "

"But It doesn't change" Josie said.

"It's because they share the same blood, if we had seen a change, it meant that it wasn’t my niece’s baby" explained Freya.

"Well, now that you've answered your own questions, I need you to help Josie." Hope still looked annoyed by the need to verify that what Josie was saying was true.

Freya motioned for Josie to lie down on a kind of massage bed she had in the middle of the room. Hope helped her up taking her hand.

Freya placed her hands on Josie's belly, singing a few words, Hope did not know how long as she watched her aunt perform the ritual.

The Mikaelson witch stopped.

"ready"

"Josie, are you okay?" Hope asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Hope" Josie assured.

"so?" Hope asked her aunt.

"One of the babies is a siphon just like Josie ..."

"One of the babies?" Josie asked, believing she didn't hear well.

"There are two babies" Freya smiled. "Twins, congratulations"

"Of course" Hope said looking at Josie "you and your Gemini genes" joked the tribrid.

"Let your aunt finish," Josie scolded Hope, but she had a smile on her lips, she would have twins.

"As I was saying, one of the babies has Josie's siphon power and the other seems to be like Hope" began to explain Freya "one of the babies is taking power from the other one, and to recover what was lost the other baby is demanding more than Josie's body can give. If this remains the same, no one will be able to survive” she finished.

Hope felt the strength leave her body.

Josie closed her eyes, tears rolling freely down her cheeks and grabbed Hope's arm as she tried to keep the world from falling around her.

"Tell me you can do something" Hope asked her aunt as she hugged Josie, hoping that her aunt could give them a miracle. “No matter what she says, I swear I'll find a way, Josie. I'll fix this "

Josie looked at the tribrid, who had a determined look on her face. She knew that Hope would do anything to save them, but she also knew that she couldn't save everyone.

"I know you will, Hope"

Finally, Freya spoke.

"I have an idea, but I don't know if it will work" the witch commented.

"We'll try anything," Josie said.

Freya nodded and left.

"You're sure, we don't know what my aunt Freya can plan," Hope commented.

"Family above all, I will do whatever it takes to be able to get these kids out, I also doubt that she will do anything to harm us, these babies are also her family"

The Mikaelson witch arrived with a bracelet.

"This bracelet is full with magic, it should last for a time if it continues to siphon the same amount of magic" Freya commented, placing the jewel on Josie's wrist "I suggest you let her draw power from you from time to time so this last longer, while I look for another source of magic” she told Hope, who nodded in agreement.

"We are surrounded by supernaturals, I think we’ll be fine until the babies are born" Hope said with a sigh of relief.

"So I just have to be siphoning magic?" Josie asked in surprise. "That was the big problem?"

"Not at all, you should also eat better, Hope said that you’re a vegetarian, the babies are part wolf, I think you’ll have to eat meat"

"I'll do it" she didn't care; she would drink blood if it made her babies feel better.

Josie got out of bed and Hope hugged her immediately, silently sharing her joy and relief.

"Don't forget Josie" Freya warned.

"Yes, more meat and magic" smiled the brunette.

Hope released her, but took her hand. A smile appeared on her face for the first time since she received that phone call from Josie. They would be fine, Josie and the babies were safe.

"Thank you, Freya," Josie said sincerely.

"Hey, it's okay, these babies are part of my family, I wouldn't forgive myself if something happened to them," the blonde said.

"Thank you Aunt Freya" Hope hugged her.

“You're welcome, honey. When do you plan to tell the happy news to others? "

"Soon" Hope smiled

"Well, I better go, Keelin must be going crazy alone with Nik" Freya smiled.

“Say hello to everyone,” Hope sid before walking towards the exit with Josie holding her hand.

Hope was returning from her career as a wolf when she ran into Josie in the kitchen. When she saw the brunette she smiled.

"Hey, what are you doing awake?" Hope asked the brunette.

"Looking for something to eat" she replied smiling.

"Cravings, already?"

"No, just with everything that happened with your aunt, I forgot to eat something," Josie explained.

"Well, in that case I'll make you something," Hope said walking to the sink to wash her hands.

"Hope is not necessary"

“You carry my kids, Josie. It's the least I can do "said the tribrid " do you fancy a sandwich? "

"Sounds good" said the brunette.

Hope started pulling out all the ingredients she was occupying.

"How was your run?" Josie asked.

"Well, my wolf was calmer, it was worried about you and the babies," Hope said as she prepared Josie's food.

"Just your wolf?"

"No, me too" Hope admitted placing the sandwich in front of Josie.

The brunette took a few more pieces of mortadella and salami and placed them on her sandwich. Hope looked at her with an arched brow.

"what? Everything helps Hope, you heard your aunt Freya, these little ones need meat "

Hope just smiled.

"I feel better about seeing my aunt Elena again next week," Josie said as she ate. "We have nothing to fear now"

"I'm sorry" said Hope

"why?"

“I feel like this pregnancy would have been different if I wasn't the other parent,” Hope admitted.

But even as she said that, a part of her rejected the idea. The situation between them was fast becoming one of the most important parts of her life.

"Hope, when I found out about the pregnancy I was terrified and when I realized it was yours… I knew how lucky I was" Hope frowned without understanding what Josie was saying. The brunette smiled as she explained “with the slugs playing with my head I could have ended up with anyone. Instead, I'm ended up with you. A girl who is loyal, kind and a great friend. Someone who knows the importance of family. And I realized that if I had to do this, I couldn't imagine doing it with someone better than you. "

"Even with all the problems?" Hope asked.

Josie smiled.

"Even with that"

The weight in Hope's heart melted and she smiled back.


	10. Tell Em

"We have to tell them, Josie," Hope told her for the hundredth time while accompanying her to one of her classes.

"I know" you could hear the irritation in her voice.

"when?"

"Soon" repeated the brunette like every time Hope asked her.

Hope took Josie's arm to stop her from enter into the room.

"when?"

"Why are you in such a hurry to tell them? The babies are barely over a month and a half”

"Because this is huge and I would feel better if I could talk to your father about it." Her eyes searched Josie's as she asked. "Wouldn't you feel better talking to your family?"

Reluctantly, Josie nodded.

"We’ll also have two babies" Hope smiled widely as she did every time they talked about the pregnancy. "And I don't want them to think that this is something we are ashamed of"

Josie's heart melted a little and she gave in.

"okay. But you realize they are not going to take this well, at least not at first "

 _Or at all_ , she added silently.

"I know" she opened the door with a wide smile.

Josie rolled her eyes and stepped inside.

"Okay, we'll tell both by the end of the week, all right?"

"one week," Hope agreed.

"one week what?" Lizzie asked when she approached them.

Josie panicked.

"One week until the full moon, you know how much Hope loves to run on a full moon, her wolf loves it"

Hope watched her as Josie babbled and shrugged. The week wasn’t over yet.

"Josie, if you don't stop doing that, we'll end up in the math room," Lizzie said, unable to bear another minute of Josie bouncing her foot against the floor.

"I'm sorry" she said standing up and walking around the room.

The blonde rolled her eyes.

“pacing isn’t any better, it will only make a ditch. Just tell me what happens "

In the last few days she had tried to tell Lizzie about the pregnancy, but every time she opened her mouth, she froze. Hope was right, she wanted her sister's support. She wanted to be able to tell her everything like she did before, confess her fears and her growing enthusiasm. But the real reason she hadn't told her was that she was afraid of how Lizzie would react. But she couldn't keep the information from her forever.

"Lizzie, there is something I need to tell you"

The blonde leaned closer against the chair, frowning.

"That sounds serious, does it have something to do with you going back to the doctor this week?"

Josie's eyes shot to her sister.

“You left the appointment reminder on your desk. I wasn't sniffing around” she said quickly, then bit her lip. “Okay, maybe I was. But I was worried about you "

Josie realized that she had put them both through a lot of unnecessary worry by prolonging this. She went and sat next to the blonde girl.

"it's okay. And yes, it has to do with doctor’s appointments "

"are you sick?" she could see the fear in Lizzie's eyes, fear that someone she cared about would leave her forever, it was a fear they had shared since they were children, they couldn't be apart.

"No, Lizzie. I'm not sick” She reassure her, then take a deep breath. "I'm pregnant"

Lizzie's hands come up to cover her mouth.

"Oh my god, how long have you know?"

"For a few weeks"

"who is the father?"

"As crazy as it may sound, it's Hope, it turns out you didn't find us before something happened."

Lizzie stood up abruptly. And she walks towards the exit.

"Lizzie!" Josie called after her sister, who kept walking as if not listening. Upon reaching Hope's room, the blonde used her magic to open the door.

The auburn girl was standing in front of her easel amused in a painting detailing the nightlife in the French Quarter.

"Lizzie? What are you doing here?" Hope asked before bending over in pain.

"You fucking horny dog, you took advantage of my sister" she said as she used her magic to torture the wolf.

"Liz ... I can… explain," Hope tried to say.

"Explain what? How did you use my sister and now she is pregnant? " she said with anger.

"Lizzie, that's enough" Josie said behind her sister, ran to Hope and helped her up.

"How can you defend her?" asked Lizzie

"Nobody knew this could happen, it isn’t her fault and neither it’s mine"

"Look, Lizzie I can't change what happened, but I assure you that Josie and our babies are the most important thing to me," Hope assured the blonde girl.

"Even that emo boy?"

"Landon made his choice, I chose Josie and the babies."

"babies?"

"Twins" Josie smiled at her sister.

"WOW" the blonde girl was surprised "you shouldn't even be able to have one and you’ll have two?"

"I know" Hope's mind flew back to the last few weeks "and with the problems she had with the pregnancy"

"problems?" Lizzie interrupted, her sister's tired and pale face looming in her mind. For a moment she put her feelings aside, realizing the mess they could get their hands on "what kind of problems?"

Hope looked at Josie in surprise.

"Didn't you tell her?"

"I didn't give her many chances," Lizzie admitted a little embarrassed. "what happened?"

_Hope… I need you to come to the hospital. Something is wrong._

Hope closed her eyes, wondering if she had ever been as scared as when she heard Josie say those words.

“She called me from the hospital and told me that something was wrong. When I got there, your aunt told us that Josie's body was suffering from the pregnancy and that there was very little chance that Josie and the babies would make it through "

"No, there has to be a way, something we can do" Lizzie looked at her sister in terror.

"Lizzie, Lizzie. I'm fine, we're going to be fine "Josie assured her as she hugged her" Hope's aunt, Freya, helped us "

"did she?" She looked at her sister, who smiled at her cheerfully.

"I'll be fine; we'll be fine" Josie assured her as she touched her belly.

“She just has to eat more meat and siphon more magic. And they'll be fine” Hope smiled looking at Josie.

"I'm glad you're okay" Lizzie said hugging her sister. "Although I'm not happy you kept all this from me"

"We won’t hide anything from you from now on" Hope assured.

"Thank you, Fido" Lizzie joked "good luck telling dad, hopefully he won’t castrate you" she smiled.

And with that Lizzie left the couple.

Hope looked at Josie in terror.

"He wouldn't do that would he?"

Josie just smiled tightly at her.

Josie walked into the office, where her father was sitting at the desk with papers around him.

"Another monster?"

Alaric nodded wearily.

"Sometimes I wonder if this will ever end"

"I'm sure it will, dad"

"Thank you darling" Alaric noticed her nervous expression "Is everything okay?"

Josie shifted from one foot to the other. Her stomach was churning. Now she understood why she was so reluctant to tell her family, she was afraid.

"Dad, there is something I need to tell you"

Alaric put down the papers he was holding

"Does this have something to do with Hope?"

"How did you know?"

"You have spent a lot of time together, she seems happy lately and you too" he smiled "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"

Trying to fight the feeling that she is 6 years old and must explain why she set the bed on fire, she sighs.

"I'm pregnant"

Her father's eyebrows arched.

"And the baby, it’s Hope’s," she finished quietly.

Alaric opened his mouth wanting to say something.

"It happened on the day of the talent show" she was quick to explain.

"How is it possible?" Alaric asked. His head racing with the implications that meant. His daughter was going to have a baby. His grandchild.

"Magic I guess" Josie said.

“Josie, having a child is a great responsibility, Hope and you are still very young. Have you thought about how you are going to take care of a baby? Or where?" said the director "have you thought about the options?"

“Dad, I know this isn’t going to be easy” She doubt for a moment “but you and mum taught me to take responsibility for my actions and to always protect my family. Hope and these babies are my family now "

"babies?"

"Twins" Josie smiled

"I don't know what to say, I didn't expect you to go through all this being so young, but I guess there's nothing to do anymore" Alaric said more to himself than to Josie "Call Hope and tell her to come, I want to talk to her "

“ok” she took out her phone and dialled Hope.

"Hi Jo"

"My dad wants to see you in his office now" she said bluntly "can you come over?"

"Yes, I'll be there in a few minutes" she hears Hope hesitate before asking shyly "Have you already told your father?"

"Yes, I do"

"How upset is he?"

"He's not upset, Hope" reassured Josie

"Yeah sure," Hope scoffed.

"Come and see for yourself" she promised.

"Okay" she accepts reluctantly.

5 minutes later Hope was standing outside Dr. Saltzman's office, she knew the director would not be happy that his daughter was expecting the Mikaelson’s next generation, but she couldn't back down now, so she opened the door.

Hope fixed her gaze on Josie first, finding strength in her eyes. Breathing out slowly, she turned to look at the person who was like a second father to her and smiled nervously.

"Exactly how disappointed are you?" Hope asked in a low voice, knowing the man couldn't be happy with how things turned out.

"I'm not disappointed, Hope"

"I know this is not what you wanted for Josie, for me or this situation"

“It was probably not how I expected things to happen, but what every parent wants for their children is that they have a family and a good person to share that with. So Josie got what i wanted her to have”

Hope held back the tears and walked over to Alaric, giving him a fierce hug.

"You'll be fine, Hope"

Josie smiled. They would be fine.


	11. Parent's Love

Josie took a deep breath before entering her room, her sister had an altercation with Penelope the day before and she knew she would be in a terrible mood today.

"Hey" Josie greeted the blonde.

"Hey" Lizzie greeted excitedly "Happy birthday to you two, isn't a beautiful day for a party?"

Josie with the whole baby thing, she had forgotten that today was her birthday.

"Right" said Josie "you're ... happy"

"Why not be? Mum comes home, I slept with Raf, my pores are practically invisible "

"wait? Did you sleep with…? " the brunette still couldn't believe her sister's words.

"Last night" she said "do you remember that mom always says that in the end things works out?"

"I hope she really believe that when I tell her about the babies" Josie sighed, today she would tell Caroline that she was pregnant, she was a little terrified.

"Yeah, good luck telling mum you'll be part of Teen moms" Lizzie encouraged "but somehow she's right, you know. Now I have a boyfriend and you have Hope "

"Lizzie, Hope and I aren’t .."

"Woot, woot! Happy birthday, witches! " Penelope interrupted carrying two cupcakes.

"Oh look. Satan in a crop top" said Lizzie" you've come to set my world on fire "

"Retro. Lady Di die before she had style. I like it” Penelope joked.

"what do you want?" Josie asked wearily, she had no mood for anything Penelope wanted.

"I just want to cheer you up, as your mother is not going to come ..."

"What?" both twins asked.

“I heard it cancel at the office. I thought you knew, oops! " she said without remorse.

Lizzie was enraged and slammed the door in her face with magic. Josie for her part sighed relieved, this gives her more time to prepare how to tell her mother about her upcoming maternity.

"I can't believe it" Lizzie said annoyed.

"Lizzie ..." Josie was cut off by a knock on the door "Penelope if it's you ..."

"Hi" Hope said looking at her best friend. "We were supposed to meet for breakfast this morning" she handed a cup to the brunette "herbal tea"

since Freya had told Hope that the drink would help Josie with her morning sickness, the tribrid greeted the brunette every morning with a cup. That gesture was an important part of her days.

"Is there a problem?" Hope asked noticing Lizzie's annoyed face.

"Mom, she won't come for our birthday," Josie said while taking a drink from her tea.

"Oh" was the only thing that came out of Hope's mouth.

"Yes, if you excuse us, Wolfie. Your babies' mama and I have something to talk with daddy” Lizzie said taking her sister's hand and dragging her out of the room.

"Thanks for the tea," Josie said hastily as she was dragged by her sister.

Hope just smiled at her.

The twins arrived at the office, when they tried to open the door they found it closed, but they could hear voices inside. Lizzie played.

"EH ... dad, why is your door closed?" the annoyed blonde asked.

"And when were you going to tell us that mom wasn't coming?" Josie asked.

“I was going to tell you. There is a strike at the Mozambique airport” said Alaric's voice.

"And couldn't she compel a pilot and get on a private jet?" Lizzie asked, incredulous at the terrible excuse her father was making.

"I'll explain it to you later, right now I need you to leave because I'm… wrapping your presents" another poor excuse.

"no it isn’t true. You're lying to us” Josie said, she couldn't believe her father's nerve.

The twins shared a look before siphon magic from the wall and using a spell to open the office door.

"Shit," Alaric said.

"Who is she?" Lizzie asked, noticing the woman who was with her father.

"My God" was what Josie said when she saw the woman who is supposed to be her birth mother, her dead birth mother.

"You have to go right now," Alaric said.

"I'm sorry, how old are you?" asked the woman.

"16" answered at the same time.

"Today ... is our birthday" Lizzie announced.

"You are twins"

"What are we interrupting?" Lizzie asked her father.

"Seriously, do what I tell you and go," Alaric asked again.

“Lizzie” Josie called her sister, she still couldn't believe her mother was in front of her.

"what?"

"Lizzie, it's her"

"who?"

The brunette walked to a bookcase and took a photo.

"her" showed him the photo of her father at the wedding with her mother.

"Hell, you're bio mom" Lizzie said surprised.

"This is impossible," Jo said just as surprised. "I wasn't even showing at the wedding, how?"

"Your family's crazy coven magically implanted them in Caroline when you died, she gave birth them," Alaric explained.

"Caroline? So the two of you…? "

“No, she married Stefan Salvatore, who basically died on her wedding day too. It's a long story” said the director.

"But they are very close," added Lizzie.

"We opened the school together" Alaric said.

“She is abroad now, dealing with very important recruiting matters. My name is Lizzie in honour of my mom's mother” said the blonde.

“I am Josie. Josette, like ... "

"me" said Jo.

Josie smiled at her birth mother.

After the introductions, Alaric decided to do a little interrogation to Jo, he wanted to be sure that she would not be a harm to the school and his daughters, especially Josie now that she was expecting. He had to be extra cautious.

"Well, once again, what's your name?" asked the director.

"Josette Laughlin" the crystal ball showed blue, she was telling the truth.

"What is your job?"

"I'm a doctor, I was" blue again.

"Repeat after me: I come to hurt you"

"I come to hurt you"

Red, lie.

Seeing that everything was going well, Josie rushed to ask Jo a question.

"How did you meet dad?"

"That question is not relevant," said the director.

Jo ignored him and answered.

“I met him at a college party. He was the only one over 20 years old "said Jo with a smile at the memory.

"It was love at first sight?" Josie asked.

She wanted to hear her parents' story, she wanted to know Jo's version.

"Jo! That's none of your business” her sister scolded her.

"Not quite, I flirted with him and asked him to give me a shot of his drink and he told me he was germaphobic, but he reminded me of Indiana Jones, so ..."

"This walk in the garden of old people's memories is a lot of fun and all, but we have to get ready for a party" Lizzie interrupted looking at her sister.

"Will you still be here later?" Josie asked Jo.

"I'll go as soon as I can" said Alaric to his daughter "for now forbidden to enter the office"

Jo smiled at her daughter, causing Josie to smile her back.

Josie was helping Lizzie get ready.

"Dad is very suspicious"

"Ah Duh .. me too" Lizzie said as if it were obvious, with the whole monster thing they should be careful.

"I think she's more of a fairy godmother than a zombie," Josie said.

"She is not our mother" Lizzie said "she is DNA, no matter how angry we are with mom for not coming to the party, we cannot cheat on her with mombie dearest"

Josie knew her sister was right, but she still wanted to meet the woman in her father's office.

"Fix yourself, I don't want to be late," Lizzie said.

"go ahead, I'll see you there," Josie said.

Lizzie nodded and left the room.

A minute later she hear a knock on the door frame. It was Penelope.

"Hey Jo-Jo" greeted the witch "do you need an escort?"

"Sure, do you know someone who doesn't have a heart of stone?" Josie asked annoyed.

"Hey, I'm sorry about before," Penelope apologized. "I saw the opportunity to make Lizzie suffer and I took my shot "

"Why don't you leave her alone?" Josie didn't understand her ex's rivalry with her sister.

"She absorbs the air in all the rooms you are in"

"She is my twin; we can share oxygen"

“Now you also share love interests? Why is she the only one who has a partner "said the Witch. "you see? You have fallen so deep into the den of codependency that you think taking care of yourself is selfish. But is not. So when are you going to start taking care of yourself? " Penelope scolded her.

"I take care of myself, thank you very much" Josie defended herself.

"Do you believe it? Because…"

"Enough, Penelope," Hope's voice said, her eyes golden. That wouldn't allow the witch to upset Josie.

"Hope" greeted the witch. "I didn't know you were Jo-Jo’s guard dog now, good luck when she left you for Lizzie"

"Penelope, go before I show you how bad I can be," Hope threatened.

The witch raised her arms in surrender and left the girls alone.

"Are you okay, Jo?" Hope asked with concern

"I'm fine, we're fine" Josie assured "what are you doing here? I thought you'd be at the party "

"I'm not in the mood for parties" the tribrid said "but I wanted to give you something before you went to celebrate" Hope give her a red envelope. "Happy birthday, Jo"

The brunette opened the envelope and took out a little black bag, along with a note.

_I hope your birthday wishes come true. Hope_

Josie smiled, then pulled the talisman out of the bag.

"Hope, it's beautiful, you shouldn't have" she smiled at the tribrid.

"yes, I should, you’re the mother of my future children and my friend, I think it is the least I could do" said Hope

"Thanks" Josie said sincerely "could you?"

"Sure," Hope said as she placed the talisman around josie’s neck. Then she bravely gave her a kiss on the cheek "have a magical night"

The tribrid smiled at her and left her to change.

Josie had an idea. Not caring about Alaric's warning, she went to see Jo. She used her siphon power to open the door.

"Do you know how to do braids?" she asks Jo.

The doctor smiled and helped her daughter fix her hair.

"Won't you be late?" she asks to the teenager.

"No, no one will notice" said Josie

"At your own party?"

"Maybe if I had a date"

"Is there someone special?" Jo asked.

"That's a complicated question"

Jo sat across from Josie, waiting for an explanation.

"Tell me" asked Jo

"Well ... last year there was this girl, but she left me" she smiled, her mind drifting to where she was could be her life if Jo wouldn't have died years ago.

"Oh"

"And now there's this other girl, we're friends, but one night ..." she didn't know whether to tell her about her pregnancy "you know, and now I'm magically pregnant"

"Wow" that surprised Jo "does she know?"

"She does, it wasn't planned, but she's happy, we're happy, any advice?"

Jo looked at her, her heart breaking for not having been there all these years for her daughters.

"The only advice I can give you is that you love your child with everything you have, do your best to never be separated from it and do everything possible to protect it"

"I will do it"

"And don't worry, I know you'll be a great mother" she smiled at her daughter. "Now go to your party, it's getting late"

"Actually, do you want to come with me?"

Hope was in her room, after thinking about it a bit she had arranged to go to Josie's party, she knew that the brunette would need her there, if Penelope was around. She was walking towards the party when she suddenly felt a tug, her wolf moved desperately inside her, something was wrong with Josie.

She followed the hitch into the woods where she ran into Penelope and MG.

"Are you going to howl at the moon in that dress?" Penelope asked when she saw the tribrid.

"I'm sorry I don't have time for your nonsense"

"where are you going?" asked MG

"To find Josie"

"What happened to Josie?" Penelope asked suddenly worried.

"Apparently her biological mother buried her in the cemetery and I need to look for her, now" commented the tribrid walking without stopping.

"We’ll go with you" said Mg and Penelope.

They walked to the cemetery, Hope was worried about the brunette and how all this could affect her pregnancy, she was just recovering from the previous problems.

"MG, I need you to be aware of the breaths"

"Give me the shovel, I hear something" said the vampire.

MG was digging until the rotten body of a dead man came out and began to attack him. Without giving a second thought, he stuck the shovel in his head,

"I hate zombies," Hope said as she saw more bodies rising from their graves. “Mg I need you to find Josie. Penelope and I will take care of the zombies "

The vampire nodded and began his search of the graveyard.

"Got it" the vampire yelled after a while.

Penelope and Hope ran to Mg and helped him dig until Josie came out covered in dirt.

"God, the talisman worked," Hope said.

"What is it supposed to do?"

"Makes quiet things heard" Hope commented.

Josie was sitting now, facing her father and Jo. She still couldn't understand what her parents were asking for.

"So we siphon the magic in you until ... you're dead again?" Lizzie asked.

"Lizzie," Josie said.

"what?"

"It's okay, Josie" said Jo "I'm already dead, I was a witch like you and we believe in the natural order of things, I shouldn't be here, I love having this, but it's a lie and I need you to help me do what it’s Right"

Josie looked up at her sister, tearful eyes trying to hold back.

"Oh my beautiful girls, I know you will be fine, be good to each other, fight for each other and take care of my future grandchildren" she smiled at Josie for the latter.

The girls took Jo's hand.

"I can't," Josie said.

"Being with you is the best gift I've ever received, but I'm dangerous, Josie"

"That's not true" was a little girl's denial, automatic and fervent. And at the moment uttering a complete truth. But Josie knew it was the right thing to do.

"It's the right thing to do, Josie"

"There must be another way," she plead. she knew there should be another.

Jo looked at her daughters, they were beautiful.

"Oh my little girl, you'll be fine" she looks at her face, memorizing her forever. "I love you, I love you so much my little ones"

She gave them one last look, before the girls began to siphon the magic until she completely disappeared in front of their eyes.

Tears fell down Josie's cheeks, her heart breaking.

Later that night, Josie went downstairs to the kitchen for a glass of water, where she found Hope.

"Hey, I knew what happened to your mother, are you okay?" the tribrid asked to the brunette.

"No, but I will be" Josie said sadly.

Hope looked down, feeling helpless at not being able to help her friend, she wishes there was a way.

"I told her about the babies," Josie said.

"really?" Hope asked

"Yes, she said I would be a good mother"

"You’ll be the best mother in the world Jo, these kids will be lucky" assured the tribrid.

"Thanks Hope, you'll be the best mom too" Josie smiled, pushing the pain away for a moment. Knowing that it would take a while to heal if it ever did.


	12. The Necromancer

"Are you sure you're okay now?" Lizzie looked worriedly at Josie, who was cautiously drinking a bottle of water, her face still pale.

"Yes, as soon as you get rid of that perfume I'll be fine"

Lizzie rolled her eyes. Since Josie had told about her dislike of her perfume, she had limited herself to wearing it only when Josie wasn't around.

"You know you can still come with me, right?" Lizzie asked her sister. Caroline had offered them to spend a few weeks with her in Europe to make up for missing their birthday.

"I know, but I don't want to leave dad, besides I'm just recovering, I don't think it's good for the pregnancy to travel so soon"

"You know you can't hide this from mom forever, right?" Lizzie said knowingly that her sister was a little nervous about Caroline's reaction.

"I know, and I'll tell her soon" said Josie hugging her sister "have a good trip, Lizzie"

"Well, take care of yourself and take care of my miracle babies"

"I’ll do it"

"Has Lizzie left?" asked a familiar voice.

"Not yet Fido" said Lizzie "I hope you take care of my sister while I'm gone"

"Sure, Liz"

"Good, because I'll make you pay if something happens" with that last threat Lizzie took her bags and left the room.

Josie looked directly at Hope with a frown.

"I thought you would come before"

"I was going to, but Rafael's dead girlfriend just showed up at the school and I had to help him"

"Something happened, is he okay?" Josie asked worriedly.

"he’s good, but I think I need to talk to your father"

"Ok, let's go"

“You won’t be going; you’ll stay safe in your room. if something is happening it could be dangerous for you” warned Hope

Josie rolled her eyes.

"Hope, I'm at school, I can't be any safer"

"You have a knack for finding trouble lately"

"No, that's you, Hope Mikaelson" she crossed her arms.

"Come on Jo, do it for the babies" asked Hope "for me, I want to know that you're okay, in case something happens"

"okay" Josie relented

"Thank you" Hope gave her a huge smile.

Josie smiled and pushed Hope gently.

"Then go, Hope"

Hope found Alaric in the basement torturing some kind of Zombie.

"Dr. Saltzman” called the director.

"There you are, adorable girl" said the zombie with an English accent "I was wondering if you would come to visit me sometime, how is your friend with whom I saw you before, the one who tried to steal a look?"

“As we speak he is having an exciting reunion with his dead girlfriend. I guess we have to thank you? " Hope said, this guy was hurting hers friends by bringing all that painful past back to life.

“Poor thing, her spirit clung to him, like a climbing plant in winter, it hardly cost me any effort. Just wrinkle your nose a little and puff. Young love reborn. You're lucky I didn't do anything else "he bragged" the way you've treated a man of my stature should embarrass you "

"Literally no one knows who you are" Alaric commented wearily

"It is impossible" said the creature without believing his words.

"I'll go see Raf," Alaric said to Hope.

"If you want this misery to end, just give me the dagger and I'll be gone forever" said the monster.

"Hope!" screamed Alaric

The tribrid took one last look at the guy and followed the director.

"I guess things are not going well"

"He's a diva"

"What's the plan? I know you don't want to give him the dagger, but we can't let him bring the loved ones of every person in this school to life” She knew that would be a disaster.

"I'll take care of it" assured Alaric "I have questions that need answers"

"Very good, but I don't think your methods are the most effective," she argued.

"Hope, I said I'll take care of it." He didn't want Hope to get involved, her family history could cause problems later. "So stay away from him"

Hope as always ignored Alaric's warnings, so now she was standing in front of the new Malivore monster.

"You have a strong scent of death on you" commented the guy "actually, it's quite nice"

"I thought maybe we could talk." She used her magic to remove the handcuffs.

"Such an insignificant creature dares to spend its time with the all-powerful Necromancer?"

 _so that was his name_ , Hope thought.

"Well here's the thing about it. You don't exist” she burst his bubble.

"I will not fall for your mind games" he said incredulously.

"This isn’t a game, let me clear it up for you. You died, you were in a dark place for what seems like an eternity, until suddenly you were dragged into the light with a concrete and inexplicable mission to retrieve the dagger” explained Hope

"Continue" asked the Necromancer, she was curious about what the girl was saying.

"It has been the same with all the creatures that have come before you, a dragon, a gargoyle, a ..."

"Please, such creatures only exist in fiction" short the Necromancer

"No, they have been erased from history just like you," she clarifies.

"that's absurd"

"you don’t believe me?" she gives him the books that Dorian gave her "read it"

A few minutes later the Necromancer was angry, he had been erased from all history, his life's work had been reduced to something pathetic, just a kind of witchcraft. He was nothing. He was nobody anymore. He would make whoever did this pay, he was sure. But first he had to get out of here and for that he needed the dagger.

"Who is responsible for this?" He asks the girl.

"That's what I want you to help me find out"

"Well then I'm all ears"

“I need to know who you are communicating with. Who is the one pulling the strings” Hope asked.

"I'm not a puppet" he denied "it's not a voice, it's more like an instinct, I just know things" he explained.

"Just as I know you are here for the dagger to take it to Malivore"

"If I return the dagger to Malivore, I will be free" said the Necromancer.

"of what?" Hope asked.

"The blackness, the absolute emptiness" he replied.

"Do you know how to get there?"

"No, just let the dagger guide me"

Hope showed him the symbol that was supposed to have something to do with Malivore.

"What does the symbol mean?"

"That nobody cries for you, nobody remembers you, it means: permanent death"

After the Necromancer gives her an idea of how she could find out more about Malivore, Hope set out to find a vampire to help her enter the monster's subconscious, her head only thinking of a person's name.

"MG, do I need your help?"

"Tell me Hope, what am I good at?" Replied the cheerful vampire.

"How much do you know about getting into heads?"

"that exist?" the vampire really wasn't quite aware of the extent of his powers.

"Yeah, you just need to be very ... precise," Hope said.

"I don’t know, wouldn't it be better if you asked Kaleb?" he wanted to help Hope, but he wasn’t prepared for what the girl asked him.

"Kaleb is not part of our super squad, I trust you" She gives a book "no words to Dr. Saltzman or Josie"

An hour later Mg went to Hope,

"Hey this is great" He gives her the book "it's like compulsion, but while you’re on the surface of the mind in a heroic way, I’ll let you enter, Holy Mary, mother of demons" Mg was scared by the appearance of the Necromancer.

"Hello Milton" greeting "your great grandmother Imogene is greeting you over your shoulder"

"Can you see my great nanna?"

"I can see it all"

“She is very disappointed in you for having abandoned Jesus, whom I can also see… but that's another can of worms. Shall we start? "

MG quickly approached Hope, who was opening the cell door.

"Will we go in there? With him?" he asks with fear.

"Yes, that's why I stole the keys from Dr. Saltzman" she opened the door. "MG calm down"

"You have nothing to fear, I assure you" the Necromancer tried to calm him down.

"You are the personification of death" said the boy still terrified. "Very well, put your hands on his shoulders, now give me your ... hands" he asked the monster. "open your mind"

Hope closed her eyes and when she opened them she found the familiar surroundings of the Rousseau.

"What are we doing here?" Hope asked the Necromancer who was sitting at the bar.

"You are the one who invited us here"

"here. This restaurant is in New Orleans. I have spent half of my childhood here "

“Yes, I also spent a lot of time here in the 20's. your father was good for my business, always killing people” he commented nonchalantly.

"What do you know about my dad?"

"He's standing behind you" he said smiling. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding" he laughed at her "but his spirit is around you, let's be clear, the only thing you want to know is how your dad is or should I say where he is?"

"No, I don't want to know" Hope denied, it was a lie and she knew it.

"Of course it is, you want to know if he is at peace or is suffering, regretting his sacrifice. After all, he died to save you, don't worry, I'll tell you everything when we finish this trip” he said, leaving the bar into the busy streets.

"Yes!!!, the dance of death, come on I want to know who the lucky one is" commented the Necromancer walking towards the coffin in the middle of the street. "Maybe Klaus Mikaelson?"

"not!" ran to the coffin, but it was empty "there is nothing here"

"Looks like you found the door" he said before jumping inside.

Hope later found herself on the street alone, only to be put out of her mind.

"amazing"

"Thank god, It’s done" said mg

"He trick me" Hope said "Send me back"

"I don’t know"

"Come on, we need answers, I'm ready"

"You're the only one," the vampire complained, but he did what the girl asked him.

She closed her eyes and found himself in the bar again, she tried to leave, but all the doors were closed. Except for one, but it faced nothing, she gave a great sigh and stepped inside.

She was at the top of some stairs that went down to nowhere, so she went down and down until she fell.

"First of all ... ouch and second I'm here" she only heard its echo.

She was getting desperate, there was nothing. No one answered her questions.

I walk for an indeterminate time, talking to nothing, waiting for the Necromancer to appear, but no. She was alone in that place.

"Mg, get me out of this place!" I scream without hearing an answer, she was trapped.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he began to cry "it's true, I want to know about my dad, I want to know if he found peace, I need to know that he is not alone" her mind travelled to Josie and the babies, she had to get out of this, she couldn’t leave them alone.

She got up with renewed faith.

"Come on, get me out of here" she yells.

"It will be my pleasure" the Necromancer said behind her.

She snapped back to where Alaric was waiting furiously.

"Do you realize the danger that you put yourself?" Alaric told her "he’s a manipulator, can you imagine how he can torment you, starting with your dead mother and ending with your dead father, not to mention all the people you killed in between"

"Don't do that, you don't like me breaking your rules, well, punish me, but don't you dare behave like a disappointed father because you are not my father"

"Right, I'm not, but now we are family, Hope and I care about you" the girl walked to the exit "where are you going?"

"To finish what I started"

"you won’t do it"

"You can't stop me" then she cast a spell locking Alaric in the office.

"Hope! Hope! "

"Tell me where is my father" demanded the tribrid.

"I'll tell you everything you want to know, but wouldn't you want to know what I discovered about Malivore first?"

"good"

“Malivore was created to get rid of the supernatural that haunts the earth. Malivore consumes us, erases us, until the dagger called us to return it home, Malivore was closed years ago, 3 objects were created to seal it, the dagger is one of the keys, when the three are united at home, Malivore will return to live” he explains

"what does that mean?"

"My dear, let's hope you're not alive to find out yet"

"Let me see if I get it right, you left me alone inside your head, why ... distract me?"

She couldn't believe that he tricks her so easily.

"My apologies for the melodrama but I needed to buy time" the Necromancer apologized.

"To speak to the creator of the dagger?"

"That and get it back"

"what?"

"While you were trapped, I used your friend's girlfriend to retrieve the dagger and from there I just took a little help to send the dagger to Malivore quickly" he explained while laughing.

"OMG"

"Come on, look at the bright side, you can go back to your life, focus on your girl and the little ones she’s expecting and I will be free to find peace" he smiled "as for your father, take care of you every day. She died with love in her heart and he doesn’t regret his decision, he believes that you will be a great mother. But he won't find peace until you do, good luck with that” he teased a bit. "It seems that I’m free" he said before disappear.

Hope watched him disappear before her eyes, she had been trick it. But that didn't hurt as much as knowing her father hasn't found peace.

Tears rolled down her face. Hope get out of the basement to meet Alaric and Josie in the hallway.

Her gaze connected to Josie, saw the concern on the brunette's face. Josie walked over to her and wrapped her arms around her neck, Hope pressed her cheek against the other girl's, inhaling her scent to calm herself.

_Dear Dad,_

_I'm no stranger to death, but that doesn't mean I want to talk about it. Once a year, on remembrance day, they ask us to write letters to our loved ones who are gone. We wrote their names, folded them, and scattered them around the cemetery. I don't usually see the point in that. Why write to the dead? I'd rather not think about it at all. Except lately, with the babies I can't help thinking about you and mom. If you would be proud of me._

_Today I made a mistake, a lot of them, I was so wrong in such a way that if you were here you would be very disappointed in me. I'm not sure how to fix it. Today they told me that you would never find peace until I found it. I hope it's a lie to punish me. God knows I deserve it. But if it's true, I'll do better. Today I saw a glimpse of the true loneliness feels like, of what it holds for me if I don't find my own peace, so I'll get to work on that. I’m glad to hear that you’re with me, but I look forward to the day when you are not. So I'll try to be better for you, Josie and my children._

_I love You._

_Hope_

She folds the letter and stare at it until it is interrupted by Josie.

"Hey"

"Hey, I'm sorry I wasn't with you today" she apologized to the brunette "I was busy finishing the first phase of the Maliapocalypse" she tries to joke.

"you're okay?" Josie asked, she was left with concern after Alaric pushed Hope away from her to talk.

"not really"

"Do you want to talk about what happened while you were inside his mind?" She wanted to know what had caused the girl in front of her to cry.

"Nothing" Hope said.

"It couldn't have been nothing, if it made you cry" recalled the girl's face when they met in the hall.

"No Josie, it was literally nothing, there was no one or nothing, just darkness around me" Hope explained. "But while I was stuck there, there was one thing that kept me going"

"What was it?" Josie asked

"You and the babies" She look into her eyes.

She took Josie's hands and gave her a small smile.

"I realized that I had to find a way out, because I didn’t want to leave you alone, any of you three"

"I was really worry when Dad called" she admitted softly.

"I'm not going anywhere, we’re partners in this, remember?" She reassures her.

"Partners" took a step back, trying to calm her internal emotions, which she completely blamed on her pregnancy for having them in the first place. "Just be careful next time, okay?"

"I'll try" Hope smiled "How do you feel?"

"Between your aunt's bracelet and the magic I absorbed from the spell with which you locked dad in his office, we're fine" she put her hand on her belly.

Hope nodded.

Josie could still see the sadness shading the tribrid's eyes.

"Tell me about your parents" she asked.

Hope looked at her for a moment and found only compression in her eyes. So she smiled.

"Well, Dad and I officially met when I was 7 years old ..."

As she spoke the sadness of her dead parents diminished, she remembered the good times and for the second time that day, Josie gave her the strength she needed without knowing it.


	13. Baby Bump

Hope knocked on the door and was surprised to see Lizzie with sleepy eyes.

"I thought you were in Europe"

"I arrived last night" she growled, dropping onto Josie's bed.

"So why are you up so early?"

"Because of Josie, she got up early to throw up and then she looks for clothes while singing to the babies, I have tried to explain that the babies still cannot hear, but she says that she is the mother and only she can know" Hope couldn’t hide the silly smile that adorned her face. "And since you're here, it's clear that I won't be able to sleep anymore, so I'll go for coffee”

Hope laughed when the annoyed blonde left the room, still in her pyjamas. Shaking her head, she removed her jacket and dropped it on Josie's bed.

The door opened and the sound of Josie's voice almost screamed.

"Lizzie, look. At first I wasn't sure, but now I definitely think I have a… "

Josie stopped when she saw the auburn girl in the room, the words frozen in her mouth.

Hope's eyes travelled over her, even as she told herself to look away. She was clearly expecting her sister because she only came dressed in a robe that was open that revealed her unbuttoned black shorts and a red bra. Her hair was still damp from the bath, the tribrid gazed in wonder as a small drop of water slid down her collarbone, disappearing into her bra, leaving a shiny trail across her skin.

"What's wrong?" she asked hoarsely.

"I’ve a small bump" she said breathlessly and then she laughed "I’ve a baby bump, I'm starting to show"

Her hands framed a small part on her belly and Hope reached out, but then stopped to look at her.

"may l?"

Josie nodded, trying to avoid feeling something for Hope's hand on her, struggling to remind herself that it was the babies that she was touching and not her. What Josie didn't expect was for Hope to slowly kneel in front of her. Josie gasped silently at the warmth of her breath on her skin.

Hope's hands carefully passed over her stomach, feeling the difference in her skin and the tension in it. She framed her hands like she had done before, lost for a moment in her enthusiasm for the babies, marvelling at how small the area was.

"There you are, little ones"

"I told you" Josie said hoarsely.

At the sound of her voice, Hope looked up, realizing how intimate the moment had become, her hands squeezed Josie tighter, pulling her closer when a distant part of her brain noticed that one of them was trembling and she wasn't sure who was. She stood up still holding her and making Josie sway against her. But the sound of the door opening, made the brunette walk away.

Lizzie walked in, taking a sip of her coffee.

"I missed something?"

Hope only smiled weakly.

Since Alaric had found out about his daughter's pregnancy, he asked Elena to care for the rest of the pregnancy on the school’s facilities for safety. Hope's blood couldn't fall into the wrong hands. But the short trip to the infirmary didn’t avoid the tension between the couple.

Hope didn't know what had happened in the twins' room, but something had changed between her and Josie. Their relationship had changed, in what exactly, she didn't know. But it was more than it had been before.

Josie looked at the auburn girl, who had the familiar thoughtful expression on her face that meant she was struggling with a problem she didn't know how to deal with and wondered if she was that problem. She knew that the tribrid was part of hers. Even now, she could still feel the warm touch of her hands against her skin. She sighed. Just when her life couldn't get any more complicated, she began to realize how blue Hope's eyes were.

"Here we are" Hope said as she looked at the door to the infirmary.

"let’s go, Hope, come in and see how our babies are"

The triumphant smile returned when Josie tugged at the sleeve of her jacket.

"I bet we'll be the first people with smiling babies"

"Please, with all your broodiness, I highly doubt that" said Josie smiling.

They were so busy making fun of each other that they didn't notice the two boys walking down the hall.

Rafael and Landon were talking.

 _Shit_ , Josie thought as she saw Hope's ex.

Landon looked up, surprised to see Hope standing in front of him.

"Hope, Josie. What are you doing here?" he asks as if they don't live in the same school.

Josie opened her mouth to reply, figuring the best way to end this was quickly when her Aunt Elena came out of the infirmary.

“Josie, Hope” she greeted the girls warmly as she looked at Josie's file “I have a few things to verify, but it shouldn't take long as Hope's family bought all the necessary equipment. Today will be your first ultrasound, Josie. You must both be very excited "

Hope nodded.

Elena handed them a pamphlet while asking them to wait a moment while she prepared everything.

"I'm going to have a baby," Josie said as the boys continued to stare at her in silence.

"We're having a baby" Hope corrected firmly. Josie thanked the support and smiled at the tribrid.

"Both?" Rafael asked confused.

 _That didn't make sense_ , Landon thought.

"Yes, Josie is pregnant with my babies" Hope explained to the wolf.

"how?" asked Landon

"Magic, I guess" Hope smiled at the boy.

"Well, congratulations, girls," Rafael commented, dragging his brother to the room that was near the infirmary.

Landon sat on the couch in the small living room. Looking from a far at Josie and Hope, unable to tear his gaze away from them.

Josie was going to have a baby with Hope. That was impossible, but somehow it happened.

That explained why Hope hadn't looked for him afterward, jealousy twisted in his stomach and he looked away.

"you're good?" Rafael asked his brother.

"Do you believe them?"

"It's crazy, but I believe them"

"It's impossible, they’re both girls" said Landon trying to emphasize the obvious.

"We live with witches, vampires and werewolves, I think the impossible can happen here" Rafael said "also, Josie smells like Hope"

"what?"

"Hope's scent is on Josie, I guess because she's expecting her babies" he shrugged.

Landon looked back at the girls sitting outside the infirmary. He watches as Hope began to move her leg, while Josie looked at a pamphlet that the doctor had given her earlier. The corner of Josie's mouth spread into a smile and she reached out to cover Hope's knee. The tribrid looked at her and leaned over to say something to her, probably to taking her hand away, Landon thought, but to his surprise, Josie's smile grew bigger and she leaned closer to Hope to whisper something to her, and to Landon's astonishment, Hope relaxed, nodding. Her hand slid up her leg, taking Josie's hand.

The ease of contact between them was pitiful to see. Why wasn't Hope like that when she was with him?

"Come on, Lan. We have class” said Rafael.

The boy nodded and followed his brother.

Hope and Josie sat down, saying nothing, waiting for Elena to call them. Josie continued to look at the pamphlet with one hand while the other was still holding Hope's hand.

"Well, that was awkward" Hope said.

It cost her a quick punch in the arm.

"You can't tell me this didn't affect you," Josie said incredulously.

The silence was so awkward that Josie wanted to leave, but Hope stepped forward, holding her hand so she wouldn't run away.

Hope sighed.

“Look, it did hurt when Landon and I broke up, it hurt even more when I saw him with that other girl, but I think it would have hurt less if he had told me about her. I didn't want to do the same as him, I should have told him about this "

"Why didn’t you do it?" An ugly thought crossed Josie's mind, one that made her look away from the tribrid. Was Hope ashamed of them?

"I was afraid of hurting him," she admitted, knowing it hadn't done any good to wait. She had hurt him anyway.

Before they could continue their conversation Elena comes.

"Alright Josie, are you ready?"

She led them into a small exam room and asked Josie to change into a gown.

Josie grabbed the hem of her shirt, pulling it over her head.

Hope seeing this turned on the spot, her eyes bathed in a golden tint and her cheeks filled with red.

Josie giggled as she pulled on her robe.

"Okay, Hope. You can turn around now”

Hope turned around again. These visits always made her uncomfortable and seeing Josie like this didn't help much.

Elena came back smiling pulling an ultrasound machine with her.

"Ready to see the first picture of your baby?"

"Babies" Josie corrected surprising Elena "Hope's aunt made a spell to help my condition, she told us"

"Twins" commented Elena

The two girls nodded.

Elena tell Josie to lie down on the bed, put a blanket over her legs and asked her to lift the robe to reveal her stomach.

Nervously Josie took Hope's hand. The babies were already real to them, but the idea of seeing them move took it to another level.

Elena squeezed some gel onto Josie's belly, which made the brunette complain a bit.

"you're good?" Hope asked going into protective mode.

"It's cold" she assures her.

Hope ran a hand over the gel, heating it up with a spell.

"Thank you," Josie whispered.

Hope smiled at her.

Elena placed the ultrasound wand on Josie.

"Here we go, let's find these little ones"

They all looked at the screen, which only emitted fluctuating patches of white and grey.

"Ah, there they are" Elena said.

"where? I can't see them” Hope said, squinting at the monitor. "What blob are babies?"

"Hope!" Josie scolded.

"I only see blobs; do you know which blob the babies are?"

"The middle one?" I doubt Josie.

Elena laughed at the girls.

"The ultrasound is always difficult to read for new parents, so we will try this" said the doctor taking out a red marker and circled the babies’ location " better?"

Josie looked at the small spots moving inside the red circle, her eyes tearing. She knew it was the hormones, but she couldn't help herself. She was looking at their babies. Now they were more real than ever.

"They’re beautiful" said Hope

Josie rolled her eyes.

"Hope, you just said that babies were blobs"

"But they’re our blobs" she smiled joyfully at Josie.

Josie squeezed her hand tighter, her words echoing in her head "ours"

"Well, let's print some photos of these little ones" said Elena

"Can we have two?" Josie asked, so everyone would have their photo.

"Yes, I want one," Hope said.

"it is no problem"

"Okay, go with Aunt Elena while I get dressed," Josie said, feeling a bit overwhelmed and looking forward to some time alone.

Hope nodded and followed Elena. The brunette printed two images, she gives them to her. The tribrid took them and left the infirmary and sat outside waiting for Josie. She carefully tucked one into her wallet. The other held it between her hands, her fingers tracing lightly over it. There were their babies. They were real, _her little blobs_ , she thought with a smile.

Landon walked toward her, the corridor empty except for him and Hope. He saw the girl sitting alone holding something in her hands.

When he got closer he saw that she was holding an ultrasound image. He ignored the pain in his chest and sat down next to her.

"Hey" He greet her.

Hope didn't say anything, she just kept looking at the image with a smile on her lips.

"Hope, are you okay?"

“I'm terrified and in awe” the words came out before she could stop them and she looked at Landon, who was looking at her in surprise “mostly terrified, what if I can't do this? What if something happens to babies? Or Josie? "

Despite everything, Landon smiled. As he looked at her worriedly, he put his hand on the girl's arm.

“Hope, everything will be fine. The doctor said it was fine, right? "

With a shake of her head, the tribrid nodded and looked back at the image. He removes his hand on the girl's arm, the girl he loved the most but he was too foolish to let her go. A question arose within him, he knew he had no right to ask, but he couldn't contain himself.

"Hope, how do you feel about Josie?"

She looked towards the infirmary, as if she could see through the wall and was silent for so long that he thought she wasn't going to answer.

She finally speaks.

"I feel like I should apologise for everything that happened, get down on my knees and thank her for giving me this"

Landon's eyes filled with sadness and he looked down, unable to bear the words or the feeling with which she said it.

Hope shook her head thinking of Josie.

"Most of the time I want to hide her from the world so she doesn't get hurt, not that she would leave me" she laughs, imagining how well that would go.

Landon sat there speechless as he listened to her and he wondered if Hope had ever said something similar about him. He even wondered if Hope had felt that way about him.

The boy looked as his new girlfriend came towards them, he got up immediately not wanting to make a scene.

"I have to go" said the boy.

Hope nodded, her attention again on the image she was holding. He approached the girl who smiled at him, taking her hand. He glances over his shoulder as Josie came out of the infirmary. The taller girl stood in the doorway with a hesitant look on her face. As if sensing her presence, Hope looked up and their eyes met. That anxious and happy expression that she used to see on her face when she looked at him wasn't on her face right now, it gave Landon a little hope.

Hope watched Josie approach and knew her solemn face mirrored hers. The tribrid didn't get up when she approached, just looked at her.

Josie stopped when she was standing in front of her.

Hope tilted her head and leaned it gently against Josie's stomach. Her hands came up to support the witch's hips and then she kissed the small bump on the bottom of her abdomen.

Josie's eyes closed at the kiss. Her hands moved uncertainly over Hope and she exhaled uncertainly when she placed them on the girl's auburn hair.

Landon clenched his jaw. It seemed that Hope had found a way to tell Josie how she feels, after all.

His girlfriend's hand guided him down the hall, but Landon hardly noticed. He kept looking at the two girls who were still in the same position. Landon realized in that moment that he would give anything in the world to be with Hope right now.


	14. Better

Josie came out of her room, she was cheerful today. Hope had called her earlier to ask her to hang out in her room after school.

Someone stepped in front of her and Josie moved to let him pass, her hand going to her belly. She left it there, rubbing it gently, no longer worried about hiding her pregnancy. Everyone close to them had been informed and MG had informed the rest of the school. She laughed as she remembered how her friend had found out. They had all been in their room, getting ready to watch a movie when Josie had a craving for a Double Chocolate Muffin.

_"Okay" she announced standing up "before starting the movie I'm going for muffins; does anyone want something from the kitchen?"_

_Hope shook her head_

_"Do you want me to go get them?" offered._

_Josie rolled her eyes fondly, putting a hand on the tribrid’s shoulder._

_"Hope, it’s just the kitchen, I think I can do it alone."_

_MG watched the exchange with a smile. Then he got up._

_“I'll go with you, Jo. Do you want something, Lizzie? "_

_Lizzie was looking for the movie, she thought for a while before deciding._

_"Yes, bring me some blueberry"_

_Nodding he followed Josie out of the room. Josie could see MG smiling next to her._

_"what?"_

_"Nothing" he denied, but the smile was still on his face "just thinking about how different you look lately"_

_Josie frowned and looked at her stomach._

_“It doesn't show that much! God MG, you can hardly tell I'm pregnant. "_

_Her friend's eyes widened and he pointed to her stomach as he screamed._

_"You mean… shit, are you having a baby ?!"_

_The entire school room fell silent._

_Josie crossed her arms and looked at him._

_"Thank you, MG"_

_He looked embarrassed as everyone continued to stare at them._

_Josie sighed, knowing it was partly her fault. She assumed Lizzie had told him. She pulls MG into an empty room._

_When she was about to unleash her anger on the poor vampire for making the news public. He did something that caught her off guard. He smiled and pulled her into a tight hug._

_"Congratulations Jo, it's amazing"_

_Then he abruptly withdrew._

_"Are you okay, don't I crush you?"_

_"I'm fine MG, I'm pregnant, I'm not made of glass" she said as they left the living room on their way to the kitchen, people kept looking at her "I guess I'll tell Hope we don't have to worry about making the news publishes anymore "_

_"Hope?"_

_"The babies are mine and Hope's"_

_"Oh, weird," the vampire said, but he didn't argue._

_Josie looked at her friend and then frowned at the thought in her mind._

_"Wait, MG, if you didn't know I was pregnant, what did you mean before?"_

_“Oh that” the sly look was back on his face “I was talking about how you've spent a lot of time with Hope lately. I thought you two had finally gotten together, I see I was right "_

_Josie hated the fact that she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed as she explained him the situation with Hope._

_"Hope and I are not together"_

_He looked at her stomach in disbelief_

_"The evidence points to the contrary, Jo"_

_She rolled her eyes._

_“It's a long story, one that I'm not going to tell you in front of the whole school. You’ll have to wait for us to return to the room”_

_She took a step forward, but was stopped by the vampire's hand on her arm. She looks up to see the serious expression he wore, one that said he still believed in good people and happy endings. It was that sincerity that made him so good for her sister. He hugs her gently._

_"Well, whatever the story is, I'm so happy for you, Josie"_

_She wrapped her arms around his shoulders._

_"Thank you MG"_

Penelope watched Josie in the kitchen making some tea, her hand on her belly and a secret smile on her face. She hesitated to approach.

"Hey Jojo, can we talk?"

Josie looked at her silently, resigning herself to an awkward argument, nodded.

"Yes, but let's go up"

"yes"

Penelope followed her back to her room. Josie settled into her bed, making sure to put a pillow behind her back. It had started to hurt at the end of the day and was trying to do everything to avoid it.

"how are you?" the short-haired witch asked.

"I’m fine, a little sick, but the tea helps," she indicated raising her cup.

Then they fell in silence.

"I heard that Hope, is the other parent" began Penelope "is she helping you? was she happy when you told her? "

Josie sighed, she had come to the real reason for this conversation, Penelope wanted to know if she and Hope were together.

“She was pretty scared when she found out, we both were. But now that she's had time to get used to it, yeah, I think she's happy. You know how important family is to the Mikaelsons "

"and you are happy?"

"That is not what you want to know, is it?"

"Are you and Hope together?" Penelope asked bluntly.

"No," Josie replied, knowing how much regret was heard in her tone.

"then how?" She gestured toward Josie's belly.

"I ended up pregnant?" she smiled "it's easy if you combine, slugs that lower your inhibitions and a bit of tribrid magic and a long short story, here we are"

Penelope saw the small bump sticking out of Josie's shirt.

“Look Pen, Hope and I were friends and now we are a kind of family. Beyond that I don't know "Penelope's eyes gleamed hopefully" but that doesn't change the fact that you broke up with me, breaking my heart in the process "

"Jojo, I had my reasons ..."

"I'm sure of it" she interrupted "everyone has them. They were probably good reasons. But I can't do this with you anymore and I think you know it "

Josie's cell phone rang and she looked at the name. Great as if things couldn't be complicated enough.

"Hey"

Hope's warm voice greeted her down the line.

"Hey I thought we'd meet for lunch"

"I know, but something came up" She looks at Penelope.

"Well then I'll pick you up, you're in your room right?"

"It's not okay, see you in the dining room" the last thing she wanted is for Hope to see her and make things worse.

"Josie, I'm already here" She said on the cell phone and opened the door. The brunette walked to the door to greet the girl. "Here, it's a smoothie, it's good for babies" She hand her a glass.

"Thank you," Josie said weakly.

"How are you and the babies?" She extended her hand over Josie's belly. It was something she had started doing after the ultrasound. The first time it had happened, she didn't know who had been more surprised, her or Josie.

_Josie opened the door, her eyes focused on the herbal tea Hope held in her hand. She hands it over and Josie took it, completely ignoring her._

_"Good morning to you too, Jo" joked the tribrid "hello, my babies" greeted her children, her hand touching Josie's belly without thinking. When she felt the brunette go completely still, Hope gulped, realizing what she had done. She looked into her eyes trying to explain “it's just after yesterday, seeing how the babies have grown and everything that happens with the Necromancer. It made me realize even more how important this is, you and the babies. I don't want to miss a thing, like my dad did to me. I want the babies to know who I am from the beginning "_

_When Josie just looked at her, Hope started to remove her hand, but Josie covered her hand with hers. Her smile was soft as she told her about her morning._

_“We're fine today, a little sick, with a craving for something sweet. And Hope, the babies know you, you’re the one I curse when I throw up” she jokes._

_She made a sympathetic face at that._

_"The hoodie you gave me is what covers our children at night, you’re the one who calms me down when I'm scared and that also calms the babies" she squeezed her hand while looking into her eyes "and now the babies will know what it is the touch of their other mother "_

Lost in her memories, it took a minute for her to realize that Josie hadn't responded. Her responses ranged from sarcastic to sweet depending on her mood, but she always responded. Confused, she followed her gaze and saw the last person she expected to see in the twins' room.

"Penelope"

It wasn't until she felt Josie tugging at her that she realized she was still touching her, so she dropped her hand.

"What are you doing here?"

Josie watched her ex put her bitch mask back on.

"You know, I wanted to see how Jojo was, and congratulate her on the pregnancy" the witch said.

"Yes it was a ... nice talk Penelope, but we have to go," Josie said.

"Okay, I think I should go too"

Hope watched as the witch left the room, but not before giving Josie a flirtatious wink. She felt like her wolf wanted to come out and tear the bold witch apart.

"you're good?" she immediately asks Josie.

"I'm fine" Josie smiled "let's eat, your babies are hungry" she joked making the tribrid laugh.

She takes Josie's jacket and help her put it on, another thing the siphon had gotten used to.

Josie spent the entire afternoon in Hope's room, lying comfortably on the tribrid's bed, while Hope made more popcorn.

Hope went back to bed and handed the bowl of popcorn to the witch. Who was lying across the width of her bed. Hope lifted her legs and placed them on her lap. She watched Josie rub her calves. Frowning, her hands covered the siphon's and she began rubbing circles.

Josie sighed relaxing on the pillow. The cramps in her legs finally decreased. Hope really did have magic hands, she thought. Able to focus on the movie without the pain.

Josie shifted again, making her foot touch Hope's crotch.

"Josie!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't feel comfortable," she complained.

Hope moved and paused the movie.

"Get up"

Frowning, the brunette got up, watched as Hope placed the laptop on her nightstand, facing the bed, then she lay down vertically.

"Lie down in front of me" she indicated "I read it in one of the pamphlets, it serves to sleep"

Reluctantly, Josie lay down in front of Hope.

"I don’t think it works"

"Josie, you have the babies, I have you." Hope put her hand on Josie's side spoon her. "Now watch the movie" she used her magic to play the movie again.

Josie ignored the blush that was beginning to cover her face from the position they were in and leaned back further on Hope, using her arm as a pillow. Hope's hand went from where she was resting next to her, to where her babies were. Josie covered her hand with hers, intertwining their fingers.

Maybe the doctors were right, she thought sleepily. Hope's chest supported her back and the warmth of Hope's wolf side made her feel more comfortable.

Hope smiled when she noticed that Josie was already asleep. Leaning her head against Josie, her mind travelled as she tried to pay attention to the movie.

Lately it seemed like she was always thinking about Josie. She filled her thoughts as much as her life and dreams. Her day didn't start until she saw her and it wasn't complete until she heard her laugh. Every day that passed she had to fight harder against her attraction to the brunette, if she was honest with herself, it had been there since she was 14 years old and now Josie was more beautiful than ever, she glows.

Hope knew that if she told her, Josie would only give her an awkward smile, but it was the truth. It was something she had noticed all along now. When they argued, when she laughed, when she thought no one was looking at her and put a hand to her belly, a hopeful look on her face. Josie was the most beautiful person in the world to her.

Tiredness began to creep over her, she snuggled closer to Josie and closed her eyes. The sound of the movie began to fade.

A buzz woke Hope up, trying to figure out where it was coming from. Realizing it was her phone, she reached for the nightstand and answered.

"Hello?"

"Hope, Josie is gone, it's late and I can't find her and she leave her phone in our room" Lizzie's frantic voice.

"Lizzie, calm down, she's here" she said without thinking

"You knew where she was all this time and you didn't tell me, Fido?" said the angry blonde "and what do you mean here?"

"We fell asleep watching a movie, wait"

Hope put the phone to Josie's ear.

"Jo?"

The brunette took it. Hope buried her face in Josie's neck, inhaling deeply the sweet scent of her skin, instantly comforting her, wanting to go back to sleep. She didn't bother trying to hear what Lizzie was asking because Josie's answers made it quite clear.

"yes, it was horrible to let you worry like that"

Pause.

"No, we weren’t considered"

Pause.

"No, we didn't have sex"

Hope's eyes snapped open, she raised her head and saw Josie smile with her eyes closed.

"Yes, I'll tell you everything in the morning. I love you too, Lizzie. Goodbye” She puts the phone on the nightstand. "Do we have to make a big deal out of this?"

"What exactly does a big deal entail?" Hope asked.

"I get out of this bed and go back to my room" she said as she settled more against the tribrid, she hated leaving her warm arms for the cold bed that awaited her in her room.

Hope pulled her closer to her.

"No, we don't have to make a big deal out of this"

"Fine" she smiled with her eyes still closed "because I really don't want to move"

"I don't want you to move either," Hope admitted softly.

Within minutes they were both asleep once more.


	15. A Good Day

"Wow, is that supposed to be so fast?" Josie asked in amazement, as she listened as the rapid beating of the babies' hearts filled the room. The last time they did an ultrasound, the sight of the babies had captivated her too much to pay attention to the rapid heartbeat. But today she did.

"Yes" answered Elena while moving the wand through Josie's belly " a baby’s heartbeat is usually between 120 to 160 beats per minute"

"Babies are getting too big, is that normal?" Hope asked worriedly.

Elena smiled patiently at the girl.

“The babies are getting a little bit bigger than I expected, especially given the difficult start they had, but both Josie and the babies are healthy. How do you feel, Josie? "

"better now. The morning sickness is gone and my breasts are no longer so sensitive "

Hope turned red and looked away.

"When will I start to feel the babies moving?"

"Well now that you're starting your second trimester, I'd say in the next few weeks"

"How will it feel?" she asked curious.

"A slight pressure or like a flutter" she turned to Hope "but just because Josie can feel it doesn't mean you can. You will have to wait for the babies to get bigger so that their movements can be felt from the outside”

Hope shook her head.

"As long as they're okay, that's all that matters"

Elena handed more information pamphlets to Josie and ended the exam.

"then what do we do? We have the rest of the afternoon free” said Hope.

"Well, our children are hungry"

The words warmed the tribrid's heart. She takes Josie's hand.

"Then let's take our children to eat"

She takes her into the kitchen and make a sandwich for both of them. They both sat at the bar lost in their own thoughts as they ate. It wasn't until Josie finished her lunch that she announced.

"I think it's time for you to tell the rest of your family about the babies"

Hope choked on her sandwich and had a glass of water.

"what?"

"I was thinking that if I have to tell my mother that I am bringing her first grandchildren into the world, then I think you have to do something equally unpleasant."

"Didn't you tell your mom?" Hope asked in surprise, because in the confusion of the last few months, she had completely forgotten about the blonde woman.

“No, because the last time I did something she didn't like, I had a conference for 3 hours and 2 months of punishment. For this she probably disinherits me "

"She's going to kill me, right?" she put down the rest of her sandwich, her appetite disappeared when she remembered the woman, Caroline was very nice to her, and she may have had a thing for her father, but she knew that she wouldn’t like her daughter becoming a mother so soon and less of a Mikaelson child. She wouldn’t like it at all.

"She can't kill you, you were just going to back to life, you’re immortal" Josie consoled her, stroking her hand, then reached out and took Hope's sandwich to take a big bite.

“She can try” she stood up “why do you want me to tell the rest of my family? You know they will come immediately, right? "

“For many reasons, first I know that you would love to see your family again and I also know that you want to share the news with them, you’re only afraid of how they will react. But the most important thing is because I don't want to call mom "

Hope laughed.

"So you will face your mother if I confront my uncles and aunts?"

"Something like that" when she saw her hesitate, Josie reached out to touch her arm "come on, I'll be brave for you and the babies if you're brave for us"

"What if they are upset or disappointed?" She finally confessed her fear, that fear had followed her for the last few years, that her family realized that her parents and her uncle Elijah had sacrificed for nothing.

Josie’s heart ached for her and for the possibility that she was right. But Josie wouldn't allow herself to believe that, and she wouldn't let tribrid believe it.

"They love you Hope, maybe they will be surprised by the news, but they will accept it"

For a moment Hope put herself in her parents' shoes and realized that she would sacrifice everything for her children. Even to the wrath of her family.

Josie recognized Hope's look, the one that said she had a lot to think about and would run like a wolf to calm herself. Then she stood up.

"Well I'm tired, so will you lose your bed for a few hours?"

"Your room?"

"Lizzie and MG"

Hope nodded, her eyes following her as she left the kitchen. Then she got out and followed the familiar path into the woods, reflecting on what Josie had told her. She knew she had to talk to the rest of her family. It wasn't like she could keep the secret forever.


	16. Family

Hope nervously stood in front of the laptop. With a sigh, she hits a key and waited for it to connect with her family.

"Hope?" she hears the voice of her uncles and aunts.

"I need to tell you something" her words were strong, but her body trembled with fear, because these were the words that would seal her fate and change her life, no matter the outcome. "I'll be a mother"

She thought of Josie and how she promised she would do this. She would do this quickly and find her later to eat.

_Her knock was hesitant against the wooden surface and she tilted her head, listening to the soft moan and sound of shuffling feet. Josie opened the door, leaning against the edge, as she asked, her voice a little husky from sleep._

_"Hope, what are you doing here?"_

_She raised her excuse, trying to smile._

_"I brought you your herbal tea"_

_The brunette's eyes softened, telling her that she saw right through her, took the cup, opening the door for her to pass. She enters noticing that the blonde's bed was made._

_"And Lizzie?"_

_"I spend the night with MG"_

_Hope nodded, turning to her. Josie's hair was a little curly around her face, tangled from sleep, she was also wearing the I Love NOLA hoodie that Hope gave her and shorts, she had one hand resting on her belly. Her breath caught at the sight of her, soft and warm in the sunlight streaming across the room._

_She sat on the bed, taking a sip of her tea._

_"I thought we'd meet later for breakfast."_

_"I couldn't sleep" Hope admitted looking down at the floor._

_She heard her approach and a smile shot from the corner of her mouth as the fluffy slippers came into view. Josie cupped her jaw, the touch of her hand against her face soothed her and she inhaled, absorbing the scent from her, memorizing it. She lifts her eyes to meet the familiar browns._

_Josie looked into her eyes as she ran her thumb across the tribrid's cheekbone._

_"nothing?"_

_Hope shook her head slowly. Sleeping had been impossible the night before. All she could think about is how her family would react to the news, she didn't want to disappoint them. It's true that Freya had reacted well, but she couldn't expect the same from others. Her eyes fell on Josie. She didn't want any problems she might have with her family to affect Josie in any way. She wanted to tell her everything she meant to her, wanted to take care of her. She had to tell her before something happened._

_"Josie, I ..."_

_Her finger covers her lips, stopping the words and shook her head. Instead, Josie hug her._

_"Everything will be fine; we'll see you later"_

_Hope hugged her fiercely, hoping she was right._

_"I’ll see you later"_

"WHAT?" Rebekah was the first to break the awkward silence.

Kol just looked at her, until Davina slapped him on the arm to say something.

"This was not something we expected, dear niece"

"I thought they were taking good care of you at that school, Alaric and Caroline will listen to me" said Rebekah a little annoyed.

"Aunt Bekah, wait you can't say anything to Caroline"

"why not?"

"I still haven't told you the whole story" said the tribrid. Before she started to tell how she was now in this predicament.

"Wow" said Kol "I didn't know you had it in you, little wolf" smiled the boy cheekily.

"Kol, shut up" Rebekah said. "we'll be there in a few days, you and Josie will join us for dinner and we'll talk about this more calmly"

The entire family agreed to attend the dinner, before ending the call.

Josie picked up the phone and then dropped it on the bed. Then She takes it again to drop it again that harsh routine lasted for several minutes.

Lizzie walked into the room as she saw her sister doing that routine, she smiled in amusement.

"I guess you haven't called mom?"

"No" said Josie, falling on the bed "I have no idea how to tell her about this"

Lizzie watched as her sister made a gesture towards the belly that was clearly showing now, sat down next to her.

"I have to say, I'm surprised that wolfie isn't here offering emotional support when you tell mom"

Josie's lips pouted that said she wished Hope was there, too.

"Yeah well, she's busy telling the rest of her family"

"All of them?"

Josie nodded.

"We agreed that we would tell everyone, also if we’re going to raise two little ones, we’ll need all the help we can get"

A knock on the door made both girls look up to see MG's face peeking out the door.

“Lizzie, the movie will start in a few minutes. Hi Jo, how are you and the babies? "

Josie stroked her belly lovingly.

"we’re fine"

Lizzie got up.

"We’re going to see Wonder Woman; do you want to come?"

"no thanks. I have a call to make "

"Good luck," the blonde said before heading out the door.

Now alone, she picks up the phone and dial her mother.

"Caroline Forbes" heard her mother's voice.

"Hi Mom"

"Josie?" She could hear the surprise in her voice, hardly spoken since her birthday "is everything alright, honey?"

"Yes, everything is fine, and how are you?" She asks trying to delay the inevitable.

"Very good" she heard the smile in her mother's voice.

The silence stretched awkwardly until Josie decided to speak.

"Mom, there is something I have to tell you" She takes a deep breath "I'm pregnant"

If she had thought the previous silence to be loud, this was deafening in comparison. She began to wonder if the line had been cut.

"Ah, mom?"

"I'll be in Mystic Falls tomorrow at noon, I expect to talk to both you and the boy in question then"

"No, mom, that's not really ..." a click sounded, letting her know that the conversation was over. "Great, Hope is going to love this"

"Maybe I should change," Hope said playing with her leather jacket.

Josie rolled her eyes.

"Hope, I already told you, everything will be fine, you're fine"

"I thought the deal was we each deal with our _own_ family, not each other's" she protested nervously. If there was something worse than having to tell her family about Josie's pregnancy, it was telling Josie's mother.

Josie shrugged.

"Well, I already met your aunt Freya and everything went well"

"Josie, you’re carrying the Mikaelson’s next generation, of course she likes you"

She smiled.

"true"

"Your mom is going to hate me"

"Of course not, she likes you more than Penelope"

"Yeah well, I'm pretty sure that won't last long after you tell her that I was the one who got you pregnant" she looks around the room "where is Lizzie?"

“She said that as much as she would love to have a front seat to see all this, she also knows that when an explosion is getting ready to happen it’s best to find cover. But she does want details when it's all over "

"Great" she mutters "She deserted at the last minute"

Josie smiled at the pout the tribrid made and walked over to her, taking her hand.

"Don't worry, Hope. You still got me "

Feeling absurdly satisfied, the tribrid smiled.

"Well it's time to go" Josie said leaving with Hope still holding her hand.

When they saw their mother arriving and a few minutes later Hope's family, or at least part of Hope's family, only Kol and Rebekah were coming, the tribrid guessed it wasn’t to overwhelm Josie. both girls looked at the faces of their relatives, they thought that perhaps join both parts of the family hadn’t been a very bright idea,

"Hi mom" greeting Josie "hello too Hope's family"

"Mrs. Forbes, guys," Hope said awkwardly.

"Hope I'm glad to see you, has Josie brought you back as backup?" asked Caroline

"You still haven't told her?" Rebekah asked her niece.

"That's why you all are here" said Hope.

"What is Rebekah talking about?" Caroline asked looking at both girls.

"Ah ... I'm the one who got Josie pregnant," Hope said.

Kol smiled.

"Oh, Nik would find this so lovely"

"What are you talking about, Uncle Kol?" Hope asked her uncle.

"Well the little blonde here" he pointed out to Caroline "she had something with your father, but apparently he never got as far as you with her daughter"

For the second time in those days, Caroline Forbes was speechless. Josie exhaled when the waiter came over to take their orders.

A few minutes later the boy arrived with their orders.

“Come on let's eat” said Josie “you can kill us after we eat. Babies are hungry "

"babies?" the 3 adults asked.

"Twins" Hope smiled.

"Congratulations, my dear," Kol said with a smile towards her niece.

"But the merge ..." Caroline commented

"Aunt Freya is in charge of that, I’ll not let something happen to Josie or our children" Hope said firmly.

Rebekah looked at both girls.

"So you are dating?"

"No, Hope and I are just friends" replied the brunette.

"Friends don’t share a baby or in this case two" Caroline said, she didn’t believe that the girls in front of her weren’t in a relationship.

"Well, we do and it's very hypocritical of you to think that, given your situation with dad." Josie was upset with her mother.

"Jo, calm down" Hope said, taking her hand.

"Don't tell me to calm down" she said angrily.

"Jo, your mother is only worried about you, just like we were worried about babies, so let's talk about this, okay?"

Josie reluctantly agreed.

The adults watched the exchange guardedly, unable to hide their surprise. The way the girls could calm each other down was fascinating to them.

Hope looked at Caroline.

"Mrs. Forbes I know our circumstance is unusual, but Josie and I are fully committed to making this work and not, we aren’t together, but now we’re a family and that is the only relationship that matters."

The Mikaelsons were proud of their girl, for them family was not only important, but the only thing that mattered.

The rest of the meeting passed lightly, the adults asked them about pregnancy, school or any topic of importance to the girls. They knew that the girls would be fine, whatever type of relationship they had, they saw that it was strong enough that they could handle it all.

They knew that they would be alright.

That same night, Caroline came down to the school kitchen for some blood when she came across Hope, peering into the fridge pulling out a jar of chocolate chip cookie ice cream.

"What are you doing, Hope?" Caroline asked the tribrid.

"Serving some ice cream and slicing some fruit" said the girl as if it was quite normal to do that in the middle of the night.

"At 2 AM?"

“Josie and I are watching a movie, and she said the babies had a craving for mango and chip cookie ice cream,” she commented as she chopped the fruit.

"You know Josie is using ‘the babies’ thing to get her way?" the blonde asked curious to know if Hope could see that she was being duped, she remembers doing it with Stefan when she was pregnant with the twins.

“It doesn't bother me,” Hope replied, “she's having the babies, which means to me that if there's anything she wants that I can give her, I'll do it. She deserves it"

"She hasn't had much of that a lot in her life" admitted Caroline, Josie was the person who cared the most and cared for others "someone to take care of her"

"Now she has me." Hope looked into her eyes.

Caroline could almost feel the reprimand in Hope's eyes for not being there for Josie, but she had good reason, she couldn't make the merge happen, she didn't want to lose one of her daughters.

"How do you feel about Josie?" She asks.

"She’s one of the most important people in my life" said Hope seriously "and I care a lot about her"

"and the babies? Most young people don't want to be stuck with such a great responsibility at such a young age,” Caroline insisted deliberately.

Hope cut the fruit a little harder than she meant to.

“I'm not stuck with my babies. I’ll admit I wasn't prepared for this, but those babies are my family. And family is always and forever above all "

Hope took the plates and left the kitchen.

Caroline stood there for a moment, remembering Klaus saying the same words. She smiled and ran to catch up with Hope.

"Look Caroline, I don't care what you think about me, you just have to know that I will do whatever it takes to protect them," Hope said when she saw Josie's mother by her side.

“I know you will, Hope. She's lucky to have you”, the blonde smiled at her before letting her continue on her way. "She is great, Klaus, you would be very proud" said the blonde towards nowhere, before walking to her room.


	17. I can't pretend

"Steve?"

"no"

"Brady?"

"no"

"Robert?"

Josie stopped what she was doing and turned around.

"seriously? Is that what you want to name our children? " they had been looking for boy names after Lizzie cast a spell on her sister to find out the gender of the babies. They discovered that they would have two boys.

Hope rolled her eyes. She was sure she had already said all the names in the baby book and they still hadn't found one that they agreed on.

"Well, choose one"

"Jackson?"

Hope thought of her stepfather and his tragic death.

"no"

Josie sighed.

"At this rate, when they are born, the only thing we’ll have decided will be Mikaelson"

"Mikaelson, huh?" Hope repeated, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face. She hadn't asked what last name she wanted the babies to have, deciding to wait until they had the names.

Josie just smiled, a little more pride in Hope and her head would get bigger, so she decided to keep looking at the baby clothes.

When they left the store 45 minutes later, Hope's arms were full of bags. Josie kept going through the list she made.

"All this and we still don't have a third of what we need"

"Well, there is still the baby shower or we can search online" Hope reminded her "Lizzie told me that you are resisting having the party"

"I don't feel ready for a party" admitted the brunette. "But I can try"

"I'm sure she’ll be happy to know that she finally has your cooperation" Hope smiled, as she put the bags in the car and opened the door for her. Then she slipped behind the wheel and made her way back to school.

"Everything will be fine, I think we'll have fun," Hope assured as she stopped at school and began to remove all the bags from the car.

They walked until they reached Hope's room, dropping the bags on the bed. The tribrid's cell phone rang, indicating a message.

"It's Lizzie, she wants to know if you’ll stay with me or will you go back to your room"

Josie hesitated. They had spent the whole day together and she wondered if the tribrid wanted to spend time alone. After all she had never been very social, she was more like a lone wolf.

"Yeah, I guess I should go, you're probably looking forward to some time alone."

"I want you to stay" Hope sat next to her on the bed and smiled at her surprised look. Hope knew she wouldn't have asked for that before Josie had become an important part of her life. Before, she probably would have given her the option and then she would be silent waiting for her to decide to stay, but somehow Josie made her bold. Always had.

"Then I'll stay" she said giving the girl a hug. They held each other for a moment. Josie relaxed. "this is good"

"Yes, it is," Hope agreed.

A light flapping made Josie pull away and look at Hope uncertainly. Then she felt it again.

"Hope"

"what?"

"I think the babies just moved." She smiled widely when she felt the slight movement once more. She took the other girl's hand and placed it on her stomach. "Do you feel that?"

Hope shook her head.

"No, nothing"

Josie saw her disappointment and tried to comfort her.

"Aunt Elena said it would take a while to feel the movements of the babies outside, maybe they aren’t big enough yet"

"Maybe" she agreed, until an idea came to her mind "get up".

Josie frowned, but did as the other girl asked. Hope pulled her to her, placing her ear against the brunette's belly. She closed her eyes and concentrated, shutting off everything else. First, she picked up the rapid heartbeat of the little ones and then, there it was, like a tiny earthquake, she heard the movements.

"There you are"

She couldn't help the proud smile that spread across her face when she looked at Josie, who was beaming at her. The tribrid stood and hugged Josie spinning her around.

"The babies moved"

Josie laughed.

"I know, Hope. I felt it"

Hope stopped moving and their smiles faded as they looked at each other. Somehow Josie's hands had found their way to the nape of the tribrid, stroking the hair there. Hugging each other like this, they could feel each other's breathing and Josie knew Hope could feel her heart moving frantically against hers.

Hope knew the right thing to do was to let her go before things went too far, but even as she thought about it, her arms tightened around her, unable to resist. Not with Josie so close, not with her hands playing with the hair at the back of her head sending shivers through her, not when she longed to know if she remembered exactly how her lips tasted. Her eyes fell on her mouth, she moved closer.

Josie held her breath, closing her eyes, expecting to meet the other girl.

The sound of a phone made them pull away, they opened their eyes and smiled sheepishly.

Hope took a step back. She shook her head and a sad smile pulled from her lips.

Josie hesitated looking for something to say.

"I should go see Lizzie and tell her the news about these little ones." She put her hand over her belly, turned and left the room.

Hope flopped onto the bed, closing her eyes.

"What am I going to do now?"

Hope's doing it again, Josie thought absently, as she sat on the gym watching Hope hit the box bag in front of her. Josie had seen the strength of her hands and knew she wasn't used much force when she hits the bag, but her biceps were still bulging with the effort. She bit the tip of her pencil, forcing herself to look away, trying to focus on the homework in front of her. She was struggling to ignore what was becoming increasingly difficult for her to deny: she, Josie Saltzman had a severe case of lust.

Her treacherous eyes immediately drifted once more to the girl, watching as her shirt lifted showing her toned abs.

It was the hormones, she reminded herself sternly. Just hormones, that was all. She had read pamphlets about it and knew this was part of being pregnant. Just because she hadn't sex in months… Hope leaned in to reveal a bit of her cleavage. Josie bit her lip to keep her from letting out a moan…. Okay many months, that didn't mean she had to fall in love with the first cute person who passed in front of her.

After feeling Josie’s eyes on her, Hope looked up and smiled at her, causing Josie to stop breathing. She looked at her like she was the only person in the world, how was she supposed to fight against that?

She smiled back at her, an invisible force squeezing her heart as she realized the problem was that she didn't want anyone, she wanted Hope.

It wasn't just because she was beautiful or that her body made any memory she had of someone else fade. It was the way she cared for her and the babies. It was the way she made her laugh or rubbed her back when it hurt. The way she tried so hard to make everything okay. Josie shook her head, scoffing at her own feelings. As if it wasn't bad enough to just want her body, then she had to go all the way and want something even more dangerous: her heart.

She sighed. She had no idea how Hope felt about her. Her situation was anything but normal. It wasn't as if their feelings had escalated after an unforgettable night or that they were even friends had turned each other for comfort. No, they had been the victims of suppressive inhibition slugs.

She laughed discouragingly. She was having babies with a girl, who for all intents and purposes had never even kissed. Not in a conscious way, at least. At first knowing that Hope would be there, that they could count on each other, was what they had both needed. Between her feelings for Penelope and Hope's bad breakup, they needed this. But it wasn't enough now, she wanted more, she wanted Hope.

But what she wanted was only half the equation, she couldn't ask Hope what she wanted. Although she wanted more with the auburn girl, she wouldn’t risk what she already had to get it. She needed her too much to lose her and she felt too vulnerable to risk rejection if she made the first move.

Her phone rang and she responded enthusiastically, grateful for the distraction.

"Hello?"

"Josie" Lizzie frowned, taken aback by the frantic sound of her sister's voice "Are you okay?"

She steps off the bleachers so she can stop looking at Hope. It was easier to focus on what Lizzie was saying that way.

"Yes, yes, everything is fine"

"Okay," Lizzie said. Her sister acted weirder every day and she could only blame the pregnancy "I just needed to tell you about some last minute details for the party"

Her attention was successfully diverted.

"What do you mean with last minute details? Yesterday was when I decided to have the party "

“And I've been trying to get you to pick a date all month,” the exasperated blonde reminded her, “I've already got most of it ready. The only thing missing was that you put a date "

"Did you invite the whole school?"

"Yes, I do"

"Do you think ... is going?" she had heard that Landon had broken up with the girl he was dating and now a rumour was circulating in the hallways that he wanted Hope back.

"I don't know Josie, but whatever happens between Wolfie and the Hobbit, you must be sure that she wouldn’t leave you alone with the babies, I wouldn’t let her" the blonde tried to joke.

Josie nodded, even though her sister couldn't see her.

"Yes I know. Hope would never leave her children "

Lizzie suddenly became concerned about how close her sister was becoming with Hope. She had a suspicion that Josie was developing feelings for the tribrid.

And although Hope seemed to have changed, she knew that in the end when Landon was in danger she would always run back to him. She didn't want her sister to be collateral damage to Hope's love life.

"dear sister, I'm sure the gnome doesn't ..."

“Lizzie” she interrupted “you don't have to cheer me up, ok? Hope is free to do whatever she wants "

"Josie ..."

"Listen, I have to go, we'll talk about the baby shower when we meet later, okay?"

"good"

Josie hung up the call and leaned against the bleachers, watching Hope pack up her things after training.

Hope would go back to Landon.

The idea made her heart ache and she looked away, knowing it was true. Hope would be there for the babies, she knew, but the closeness they had now would be gone. It would be with Landon who she would spend all her time with and she would fade into the background.

And what about her? She wondered, crossing her arms. What if I met someone? She knew that dating with the babies wouldn't be impossible, but it wouldn't be easy either. She tried to imagine how Hope would react to that. She wanted to believe that the tribrid would feel the same way she did when thinking of her and Landon together, but she didn't know. Hope had never been open with her feelings, so she had to guess.

Josie tried to imagine herself with someone other than Hope. She tries to imagine laughing with someone else, being close to someone else, other hands touching her. But her mind kept putting Hope in the place and she sighed, acknowledging the truth of it to herself. She didn't want someone else, just Hope. When had that changed? When Hope had become one of the most important people in her life, the one she wanted more than anyone else?

"you want me?"

Her heart jolted at her words.

"what?"

"What if you want to go to eat or are we going to spend time in my room?" she repeated intrigued by the panic in the brown eyes.

"Oh" Josie swallowed, trying to control herself "I think it was okay to go to your room"

"Okay" she nodded smiling at her.

They started to leave the gym when Josie turned to face Hope. She couldn't take this anymore. She had to know.

"There is actually something else"

"yes?"

"I need to know what the situation is between us"

The auburn girl’s brow furrowed.

"What do you mean by 'us'?"

Josie tried to calm down, she had little patience now.

"I mean what is our policy?"

"What policy?" Hope asked confused. Josie had been acting weird all day and now she was asking for things she didn't understand.

Still confused, Hope took a step closer, her hand taking the brunette's, knowing it all made more sense when she could feel her skin. She marvelled at how easy it was to touch her now.

"I thought we already had a policy, family above all"

Josie sighed. Every time she frustrated her, she did something too sweet that made it impossible to be mad at her.

"I mean, what are the rules when we talk about dating?"

"Oh" then Hope realized what Josie wanted to say, jealousy felt like acid in her stomach and her eyes turned gold for a few seconds. "Are you asking because you met someone?"

"No, I haven't met anyone!" exclaimed the brunette.

"So is Penelope?"

"No" and then her frustration had returned "but one day we’ll meet someone, and then what?"

She had to know if Landon asked her to come back, she would not be forgotten.

Hope shrugged, trying not to think of someone as close to Josie as she had been lately. The thought made her fists clench.

"I don't know; I guess we'll have to figure it out when it happens"

"wait and see? Is that your idea? " Josie could feel her anger rising along with her fear “I'm supposed to wait for the next person you rescue to show up, and then what? Hi, I'm Josie Saltzman, Hope's friend, ah! And also the mother of her children "

Hope could feel the control she had over her temper crumbling.

"I don't know, Josie. Maybe we'll have something figured out when the next bitch witch shows up at school and breaks your heart. "

"Oh yeah? At least I know what I want and I'm going after it” that was a lie and she knew it “I don't sit around waiting for it to magically come to me” she turned around ready to leave.

She hadn't taken a step when Hope's hand on her arm whirled her around. They looked at each other, their harsh breaths the only sounds in the empty gym. They were so close, so close that their bodies brushed against each other with each breath taken.

"I know what I want," Hope muttered, her hand releasing her arm to slide around Josie's waist, pulling her closer.

"Me too," Josie whispered. She was so tired of pretending she didn't know. Her hand pulled Hope's head, bringing their lips together. She felt her freeze, but when she was about to pull away, her arms wrapped around her and pulled her against her chest. Hope’s lips moved hungrily over hers, coaxing them open. Her gasp was lost as the tribrid's tongue entered, fighting softly against her.

When the need for air became overwhelming, Josie pulled back and reason returned along with oxygen. Wide-eyed, she looks at Hope.

The auburn girl looked at her, her chest as heaving as hers, her lips were swollen as she could feel hers. Hope said nothing and the terrible realization of what she had done hit her. They were standing on the other side of the line and she could now lose everything.

"I should be going"

Josie turned and ran, not stopping until she reached her room. She leans her trembling body against the door.

Lizzie looked at her from her bed.

"I thought you'd stay the rest of the afternoon with Fido, is everything okay?"

"Yes" she tries to smile while lying "everything is fine"


	18. Mine

Hope stepped into the kitchen, each step, echoing in the quiet early morning. She went to the fridge and opened it, staring into it. After a few seconds she close it without taking anything. Sighing, she rested her hands on the island, not seeing it, her mind lost in the memories of the dreams that had haunted her all night.

Dreams fed by a kiss.

A kiss she swore she could feel until now.

She closed her eyes, but it only made the memories clearer. After Josie ran off yesterday, she debated whether or not to go after her, but she didn't know if that would make things better or worse. And she had no idea what she might have said if she reached her anyway. So that night she ran like a wolf, but even that did not diminish her restlessness, the dream didn’t come either and when it did, it only made things worse, because in her dreams, Josie didn’t run away, she didn’t let her go.

She exhaled hard. Josie wasn't the first person she'd wanted, but now, it was worse than ever. She had never been intimate with anyone, her previous relationships hadn’t reached the physical. But now that she had discovered that part, she couldn't stop thinking about it.

At first, it had been easy to ignore, because she had told herself that she didn't feel that way about Josie. And when she'd told her about the babies, her focus had shifted to them and she hadn't given it much thought. Then her feelings for her changed and she had done her best to deny them, to focus only on what Josie needed, but that hadn't stopped the dreams that appears at night. The ones who whispered how good it was to touch and be touched.

God, how she wanted to touch her.

The sound of the wood creaking between her hands made her realize how tightly she was holding the island and she released it before it could do any real damage.

Everything had changed now. She couldn't pretend it was just her friend, just the girl who had been lucky enough to be with her when some slugs lowered her inhibitions causing all of this. Until now, she had struggled to keep what she felt hidden from her, from herself, convinced that Josie Saltzman would never be interested in Hope Mikaelson. But now she knew that the brunette had feelings for her and she wouldn’t let her pretend that nothing had happened. They had to talk about it.

She turned to go to her room when the sound of familiar footsteps reached her. She was nervous to see her again.

"Hi" She greets the brunette.

"Hey"

"Josie ... I"

"No, Hope" she interrupted "yesterday, it shouldn't have happened"

“No, you can't say that, because I can't get it out of my mind” she approached her “I can't sleep thinking about how you felt, how you tasted and wanting to kiss you again. And I have to remind myself of all the reasons why it shouldn't happen again, but I can't find one"

"Not even now?" their eyes met.

Josie's smile was the last thing she saw, before closing her eyes and meeting her lips with hers. The brunette's arms wrapped around her neck pulling her closer, Hope smiled when she felt the small bump where the babies were against her. She let her world shrink once again to just the woman in front of her and the wonderful things her mouth was doing to hers. But they still needed to talk, she had to tell her something else.

"wait"

"for what?"

She loves the sound of annoyance in her voice. She takes her hands.

"About what you said yesterday, I think I have a solution to our situation"

"Well, a solution would be nice"

"We'll have dates" Josie started to walk away, but Hope didn't let go of her hands "with each other"

Josie tried unsuccessfully to stop her smile.

“So I'm going to have your babies and that's not enough? Now, do you want me to go out with you? "

Hope returned the smile with a shrug.

"what can I say? I’m selfish"

"And how will this work with respect to exes?" Josie asked carefully.

Hope made a face.

"No room for black-haired witches"

"I was thinking more of curly-haired guys"

"Landon" understanding lit up her face.

"Landon," Josie repeated. She looked at her and sighed, wishing she could lose herself in her kisses and promises today.

But now she had to consider her children and that meant there had to be honesty between them.

"Hope there are two things I know about you, that you’re very cute and in love with Landon, and that hasn't changed"

"So, do you think I'm cute?" she asked smiling.

"Everyone thinks you're cute" She clarifies

"No" Hope protests smiling "you said it hasn't changed, which means you still think that"

Suddenly everything got serious.

"And the other part has changed?" Josie asked.

"Yes, it has" Josie looked at her in disbelief and Hope knew she would have to work to convince her.

"are you sure?"

"I am, Josie"

"Do you honestly expect me to believe that after a few months you stopped loving him?" She asks incredulously “look Hope, a kiss is not a binding contract and I know that pregnancy has blurred lines between us, confusing everything. We can attribute it to a little moment of madness and we can forget it. But I don't think I could do this with you, if I looked at you and saw you wanting someone else "

Hope looked down at their still joined hands and tried to explain what was difficult to understand.

"When Landon and I were together, he asked me two things: to stop protecting him and to tell him the truth, the irony is that I couldn't do one without stopping doing the other"

"Yeah, I know you have a tendency to try to save everyone" Josie joked.

Her smile told her that she appreciated her trying to lighten the mood.

Josie watched the emotions play on her face as she searched for a way to find the words and asked the question she had been curious about since she saw her arguing with Landon at the mill.

"Why didn't you tell him?"

“I don't know, I wanted to protect him or that's what I thought I was doing, but I just didn't want him to leave, but later, with everything about the baby, I realized that it's not about wanting someone to stay, it's about finding someone who doesn’t want to go. That could be anywhere, but choose to be with you. And I choose to be with you, Josie, I want to be by your side for as long as you allow me. You’re who I want to be with "

Josie's eyes lit up

"You’re also who I want to be with" she said shyly

"So does that mean you're going out with me on Saturday?"

She nodded, biting her lip.

"And does it also mean that you let me kiss you now?" Hope asked looking at her lips.

Josie nodded again just before their lips met, the gentleness of her kiss taking her breath away. Eager for more, she deepened the kiss.

Hope's arms wrapped around her and she moved closer. But years of caution warned the tribrid that they were moving too fast, and she backed away from her.

"Josie, it's not like I don't love where this is going, but I think we should slow down."

Josie smiled immediately.

"Why? are you going to get me pregnant?"

"Very funny, but I think that if we rush this, everything will be more complicated"

Josie snorted.

"Please Hope, everything between us has been complicated from the beginning." When Hope said nothing, she realized that this was the first time that either of them had expressed that out loud. "At least I thought it was"

Hope looked into her eyes, lost herself in them, in the truth she was afraid to admit. What was between them had always been there, from the first time Josie had smiled at her on the school playground and the tribrid couldn't help but smile back. They had ignored it and it had become a buried truth that neither of them had wanted to admit.

Her brown eyes asked her a question and like on any other occasion, she could do nothing but surrender to her wishes.

"I thought that too"

Her relief was palpable when Josie leaned down and pressed her lips against hers. The brunette's hand slid down her back, tangled in her hair. Her tongue brushed lightly against her lower lip, the tribrid gaping open, welcoming her eagerly with her own.

Josie's hands went to the edge of her shirt, tugging at her. Reluctantly, Hope broke the kiss, picking up her grey T-shirt impatiently and flinging it to the floor. She couldn't help but smirk when she watched Josie's hungry eyes travel over her and she bit her lower lip. On impulse, she did something that she had wanted to do since the first time she had seen Josie do that. She gently grasps the brunette's jaw, her thumb touching her lower lip.

"here, let me do that for you"

Josie froze when Hope lightly sucked on her bottom lip, then gently bite it. She moaned, scraping her nails against the smoothness of her back. Hope's arm went around her waist, lifting her up and placing her on the island, with her between her legs.

Josie's head fell back as the other girl kissed her way down her neck. Hope's hands caressing her legs up to her thighs.

At some point Hope's hands reached down to her belly, she paused for a moment, both hands cupping her growing belly, marvelling once more at the miracle in front of her. She looks up at Josie, her hair tangled in her hands, her mouth swollen from her kisses, and she couldn't believe she was so lucky. Josie was everything and she loved her. Hope smiled at her and she smiled back. She takes her hand and kiss the inside, letting her teeth lightly bite the skin.

She brought her mouth to hers, kissing her fiercely, their bodies moving against each other, seeking more. Leaving her lips Josie kissed the tribrid's jaw making her way to the sensitive skin behind her ear.

Hope tilted her head further, closed her eyes, and sighed.

"I never thought this felt so good"

"seriously?" Josie said "Landon never got it right?" She asks without thinking.

“Landon and I never…” whatever she meant, she cut off when a groan left her mouth as she felt Josie suck on the delicate skin of her neck.

Josie pushed Hope away when her words registered in her mind.

"What do you mean with never?"

Hope grimaced and her face turned even redder.

"Are you trying to tell me what I’m thinking?" Josie asked in surprise.

"I may not have been completely honest about some things" Hope said.

With a dangerous look, Josie got off the island. Hope took her shirt off the floor and put it back on.

"why didn’t you tell me?"

"That you were my first? It was a bit embarrassing "admitted Hope

"But it's important, it's supposed to be special"

"And it was, believe me" Hope assured "we made our babies, what could be more special?"

Josie looked at the girl torn between anger and frustration. Part of her wanted to stay angry for hiding this from her and the rest just wanted her. She walked towards the exit, but stopped, Josie stared at her for a moment debating on which she wanted most.

Hope was rubbing her face with her hands, her heart was pounding and her wolf wanted out, that was the effect that girl had on her, like at this moment she was thinking that she would never let her touch her again. She sighed, her brain searching for a way to explain this to Josie that it wasn't a big deal, that she didn't care that she lost her virginity that night because it was with her.

Then she hears her footsteps stop.

"Well, will you stay there forever?"

Cautiously, Hope walked over to her. Josie was leaning against the kitchen exit. Instead of the fire she expected to see in her eyes, there was a soft, hungry look that made her breath catch.

A playful smile appeared on her lips.

"If you think you’re getting rid of lying to me so easily, think again, Hope Mikaelson"

Hope took a step closer, but Josie raised a hand and stopped her.

“This doesn’t mean that I’m not mad at you or that you don’t have some major make up to do for the lie. I just want to have sex more than I want to fight right now” she informs her with a disdainful tone.

Hope was careful to hide her smile as she nodded solemnly, taking another step.

"I mean; we're talking about a big bribe" Josie threatened when the auburn girl didn't look sorry enough to please her.

"Josie, you can have whatever you want" she took another step "there is nothing I wouldn't give you"

Josie's heart leapt at her words and she fought to keep her face from showing how much her words affected her and how much she wanted her right now. Then a thought crossed her mind and this time she was unsuccessful in hiding her feelings.

Hope stopped.

"what’s wrong?"

Josie lowered her eyes and nervously admitted.

“I don't look like I used to, Hope. I know that my breasts are bigger, but I gained weight and… "

"And I've never wanted anyone more than I want you" Hope interrupt taking another step.

"Yeah sure"

Hope stopped again and Josie almost screamed in frustration.

_How were they going to get anywhere if she didn't get close enough?_

“I haven't,” Hope said, her voice low and sincere. “Josie. Do you know how many times a day I have to fight my wolf's desire to claim you? When you laugh or smile at me in that way that I have never been smiled before, it makes me want to kiss you more than I need my next breath" her eyes burned with intensity, turning golden for a few seconds" sometimes I think if I can touch your hand or your hair will be enough, enough to appease my wolf. Maybe long enough that these feelings go away and when I can't fight it anymore, I give up and touch you, then I know two things: that just holding your hand is better than anything with anyone else and that it doesn't matter how much I touch you, I’ll always gonna want more, I’ll always gonna want you "

Josie swallowed, tears burning in her eyes. No one in her entire life had been able to make her tremble with her words alone, but there she was, trembling, waiting for the tribrid to reach her. She wanted to say so many things, that her words exactly described her feelings, that she mattered more than anyone in the entire world, that she was so dangerously close to falling deeply in love with her that she would never be able to love someone else. But she couldn't, not yet. Instead, she smiled at her.

"Race to the room"

Josie took off running, her laughter echoing through the empty hallways. Hope ran after her, no doubt she was making a mistake, just the strange sensation burning inside her. The one that calmed down and also burned more when she was near the brunette. She didn't dare name it yet.

She caught her when she was one step away from reaching her room, she wrapped her arms around her, pulling her into her body. She caresses her face against her neck, inhaling her sweet scent.

"I got you"

Josie laughed breathlessly.

"you got me. Now, what are you going to do with me, Hope? "

Hope picked her up bridal style and walked into her room.

"I’ve some ideas"


	19. Baby Shower

When the first rays of sunlight hit the tribrid, she buried her face in the pillow, only to discover it had grown hair. Long, silky hair with a sweet smell. When she opened her eyes she looked at the woman she was holding in her arms.

"You know, I can always tell when you're looking," Josie said, with a smile.

Hope rested her chin against her shoulder.

"seriously? How?"

"You hold me tighter," she informs her, keeping how much she loved that. Looking back over her shoulder, she met those deep blue eyes "what are you thinking about?"

"How I feel"

Josie turned in her embrace, pressing her body against the other girl's. Enjoying how her skin felt against hers.

"You feel good to me"

Hope smiled.

"That's not exactly what I meant"

"I'm sorry" She mumble without regret and tilt my head back so she can look into her eyes "how do you feel?"

The tribrid raised her hand and brushed her hair away from Josie’s face as her expression turned serious.

"happy. I feel happy"

Josie's eyes softened and she leaned closer, brushing her lips with the auburn girl, letting her lips linger for a few seconds. Then she leaned back, her hand caressing her cheek.

"Good, because I feel the same"

Josie's cell phone rang and she reached for it and rolled her eyes when she saw the screen.

"Lizzie set an alarm to remind me of the baby shower." She flopped onto her back. "I still can't believe we have accepted this"

"Jo, it won't be that bad" Hope said in a loving tone, kissing her forehead. Then Josie looked at her seriously, making Hope raise her hands in surrender "okay, I'll take it back, it will be absolute torture"

"Good" she gave her a light kiss and got out of bed "because you're coming with me"

"What?"

She put on a Hope’s big t-shirt as she spoke.

"Yeah, you didn't think you were going to get rid of this, did you?"

Hope sat up and pulled Josie to her side.

"Okay, but after the party you come back here with me"

Josie smiled at her, as she brushed a lock of auburn hair over Hope's ear.

"That's the third time this week, are you sure you're not tired of me?"

"Never" she promised, pulling her even closer. The nights that Josie stayed with Lizzie were unbearable. The bed felt empty without her body there. During those long hours of darkness, her wolf felt restless inside her until she saw her the next day. If it were up to Hope, Josie would spend every night with her, but she didn't want to pressure her. Instead, she said lightly, extending the little hook "besides, I still have to give you my gift."

Josie backed away in surprise.

"It's not that I'm complaining, but do you realize that other people are supposed to give us things?"

"Yes" she agreed "but this is special"

"Special huh?" she asked curiously "what is it?"

"Nah uh, you're going to have to wait." Hope smirked when Josie pouted adorable.

"You're just saying it so I have to come back here after the party," She charges.

Hope's hand caressed her belly over the shirt, as she spoke slowly to her children.

"She discovered my evil plan, little wolves"

Josie pushed the auburn girl onto the bed and sat on her waist, leaning toward her.

"I have ways of making you talk"

"Oh yeah?" Hope's eyes turned gold, her hands sliding down Josie's soft legs until they entered under the undershirt, stroking the soft skin there.

"Yes," Josie said as she leaned in closer, their lips almost touching when the loud knocks on the door interrupted them.

"Wolfie, open the door and let my sister go!" Lizzie's voice demanded.

Groaning Josie dropped her head onto Hope's shoulder.

"The baby shower Nazi has arrived"

Hope laughed and ran her hand gently down her back.

"I know"

"It's time to get this done" Josie said getting up from the bed.

Lizzie waited several minutes until the door opened, Josie coming out first, clearly in a bad mood, followed by Hope, who tried to contain her laughter so that the brunette's anger wouldn't turn in her direction. Josie had made her reluctance towards the baby shower quite clear and Lizzie knew it was because of Hope that she had relented.

"I'm not going to do anything without having breakfast" Josie announced, with a disgruntled expression on her face. "You can't starve a pregnant woman, you know that."

Lizzie looked at her sister with a bit of annoyance.

"fine" She accept "Fido, make my sister's breakfast" she order.

Hope looked at her annoyed.

"Don't look at me like that, it's your puppies that my sister has there" indicated Josie's growing belly "so feed her up, go on" She rushes her.

the three of them made their way to the kitchen, Hope sat Josie in front of the island, not letting her do anything. When Hope served the eggs, she handed her plate to Josie and kissed her forehead. The brunette smiled.

Lizzie watched the interaction of the girls, Josie and Hope were together now and happier than she had seen either of them. And despite MG's claim of their obvious chemistry, learning that the two were a couple had completely surprised her. Well, it was more of a shock to her.

_Lizzie was coming from the bathroom, when she looked at them, her eyes widened comically, before her was Josie standing in front of their bedroom door, wearing the same huge hoodie and shorts that she had the day before when she left the room they shared looking for Hope. Later, she had sent her a message saying that she would be sleeping in the tribrid's room. She supposed they had fixed whatever arguments they might have had._

_Obviously she didn't know how accurate it had been, because it wasn't the sight of her sister wearing yesterday's clothes that kept her motionless, it was the soft, careless gaze full of love that she couldn't remember seeing on Josie, even when she was with Penelope._

_Hope was standing in front of her, her mouth extended in a wide, happy smile that had been absent for a long time. A smile that told the world that she was happy with her life, that it wasn't a burden she had to carry. Lizzie's mouth fell open as Hope kissed Josie, paying no attention to the people who might be watching. The blonde looked away, her face turning red, feeling like an intruder in the moment of intimacy that was shown in front of her. Josie leaned back, leaning her forehead against the wolf, whispering something Lizzie couldn't hear. Josie touched Hope's face once more and then walked into the room. Hope watched her walk in with a smile plastered on her face._

_Determined, Lizzie approached the girl._

_"I guess I shouldn't ask if you and Josie kissed and made up" her voice full of sarcasm._

_"Lizzie"_

_Lizzie took her arm and led her to a less crowded area._

_"We have to talk, now"_

_Even before Hope could open her mouth, the blonde began_

_"Hope, my sister is pregnant and no matter how much She tries to hide it, she is really vulnerable right now and doesn’t deserve to play as the opening act in your drama with Landon."_

_“Lizzie, it's not like that” she promised “I'm not using Josie. I would never do that to her. She is not a substitute for someone I cannot have. She is my friend and the mother of my babies. Even If there was nothing else between us, I would respect her enough to don’t do that to her. But it is more than that. She is who I want to be with "_

_They hadn't discussed what they would say to friends and family, but Hope wouldn't let anyone think that Josie was a substitute for Landon. She was the person she planned to spend the rest of her life with, her always and forever. And she would make sure everyone knew about it, starting with Lizzie._

_“Landon is my past; Josie is my future. I'm never going to leave her. I promise"_

_"are you sure? Like, really sure? " Lizzie wanted to believe her, but she didn't want to see her sister hurt again. “Because you can't change your mind later and say you want to be with Landon. That would kill Josie "_

_“I'm not going back to Landon. I want to move on, with Josie and our babies” her smile returned when she tried to reassure her “trust me, Lizzie. I want to spend the rest of my life making her happy "_

"Lizzie? You're good? You have been staring into space for the past 5 minutes. You know, if you have doubts, we could cancel everything” Josie offered sweetly.

Lizzie shook her head, laughing.

“It is not a possibility, dear sister. You're not going to get out of this so easily. Now finish your breakfast, because we still have many things to check "

Josie sighed.

"Of course"

Penelope walked into the great hall of the school, which was adorned with balloons. Blue ribbons and bows. Josie's baby shower had started. She wondered if she had the strength to go on. "Welcome Mikaelson Babies" was the first thing she saw.

Josie was sitting in a chair in the middle of the room, a pile of beautifully wrapped presents surrounding her. Lizzie was sitting next to her, handing her gifts. Then the blonde got up with a smile and walked close to where Penelope was standing, but didn't notice her. Her eyes were on another blonde.

"Mom, you came, I didn't think you could make it" Lizzie smiled "It will be a big surprise for Josie"

"I couldn't miss my first grandchildren's baby shower" Caroline smiled.

"Hey Lizzie" called MG from across the room "can you take care of the video camera while I help Wade with the pictures of the future mother?"

She smiled at her boyfriend, nodding before turning to her mother.

“I don't think I've ever seen him have so much fun. She's taking being an uncle very seriously. I'd better go help him, go with Josie” She gave her mother one last hug before running to MG.

The older blonde went and gave her daughter a big hug along with a gift bag, Josie looked happy to see her mother at the party.

Penelope kept looking at Josie, she looked happy. Every time she unwrapped a gift, she held it up for the camera to see. Penelope blinked back the tears that threatened to come out every time she looked at Josie.

"Oh, there you are" Josie said smiling at someone near where Penelope was. "I was beginning to think that you had hidden yourself"

"what? And miss all this? " Hope's voice said happily.

The tribrid smiled that sweet and endearing smile that she now directed at Josie all the time. Hope stepped past her and Josie didn't even notice her. Hope walked over to the woman sitting in the centre of the room. She leaned in and kissed her.

"Never" said the tribrid.

"Oh, it's fine. cut the honey, Wolfie "Lizzie said and she handed her a box wrapped in light blue paper " here, open my gift "

Smiling, Hope took the gift and sat next to Josie, letting her open it.

Josie opened the box and laughed, holding the book up for everyone to see. "Pregnancy guide week by week"

Lizzie grinned cheekily.

"Now you will know when my dear nephews can really hear"

Behind the camera, MG speaks to Lizzie.

"Lizzie, give them mine"

The blonde handed them another package and Hope helped Josie open this one. Inside was a blue book titled "Mikaelson Babies." Josie looked up in surprise.

"MG"

"Lizzie you didn't have one so I just thought" he paused as he shrugged, looking embarrassed and pleased at the same time "there is also a storybook inside, Josie loved fairy tales so buy this one so She can read it to the boys "

"Thanks MG" said Hope

"You're welcome, Hope" he beamed.

Penelope watched in silent agony the scene unfolding before her. Inside she was screaming. Josie looked so happy, happier than she remembered seeing her. The question she had had been answered. Josie was with Hope now. Who took every opportunity to touch her, one hand on her back, touching her knee, leaning closer to whisper into her ear. Each gesture seemed so intimate that she felt like she was intruding on a private moment.

This was not the way things were supposed to happen. It was supposed to be her, she was supposed to be the person next to Josie. She was the one Josie was supposed to look at like that. It was supposed to be her that Josie would marry, she would have their babies, it was supposed to be the two of them. So how did it all end like this?

After she opened the last gift, Hope got up

“I'll take everything to my room. Come when you finish here "

"Okay," Josie agreed, tilting her head back to receive a kiss.

"Let me help you" offered MG, lowering the camera and taking a lot of gifts.

Hope and MG left the room carrying the gifts. Lizzie slid into Hope's empty seat, sighing.

"Well, I think it's official, my feet have died"

Josie laughed, watching her sister look at her feet sadly. She leaned in and hugged her tightly for a moment.

"Thank you, Lizzie"

Surprised, Lizzie hugged her back.

"why?"

Josie gestured around.

"for all this. I know I haven't exactly been easy ... "a snort interrupted her and she rolled her eyes "okay, I've been an absolute terror about it, but you didn't give up "

Lizzie crossed her arms and her eyes twinkled mischievously.

“It must be those stubborn genes that we share. Look Josie, you've always cared about everyone since we were kids. Nobody put you first and I'm sorry for that, that's why it was your time to shine” she seemed suddenly uncomfortable “besides, I know that I wasn't exactly supportive before and when I found out about babies… ”

"Oh, Lizzie. That was long ago"

Lizzie wouldn't let her sister look down on this as if it hadn't hurt her.

“I did, but then you needed me and I wasn't there for you. I guess… I guess I just wanted to do this to show you that, from now on, no matter what it is, I’m by your side, whatever happens”

Josie hugged her fiercely once more.

They parted ways when Hope and MG returned for the last gifts. Hope noticed the tears in her eyes, but she also saw the way Josie and Lizzie hugged each other and decided that what had happened hadn't been something that had hurt her, so she remained silent.

"Thank you for coming to everyone and for the gifts" the tribrid told the room and then turned to Josie "I'll wait for you later"

"I'll go as soon as the party is over" promised the brunette.

She winked at Josie when she left.

A girl standing behind Penelope sighed.

"Aren't they cute?"

Penelope recognized the voice of one of the witches, Anna, with whom she had shared classes last semester.

"Yes, I know" agreed another voice that Penelope did not recognize "are they always like this?"

“Yeah, don't get me wrong, they aren't always that sweet. I've heard them arguing, but most of the time, it's like they forget there is someone else in the room. "

"Didn't the other girl date this curly-haired boy?" the unknown girl asked. "what happened?"

“Nobody knows; I guess they broke up. He was dating Charlotte. "

"So, do you think She only found a substitute in the future mother? Or are they together for the babies? " the girl asked maliciously.

“Oh no” Anna protested confidently “you saw them both together, right? If I had to risk what it is, I would say love "

Unable to hear any more, Penelope walked away, inadvertently approaching Josie, who had just had a glass of blue punch. Her other hand resting against her belly.

Lizzie leaned over to Josie.

"What is the surprise waiting for you in Hope's room? Just don't say sex, please "

Josie laughed.

“A surprise for the babies. These children haven’t come out of the womb yet and she is already spoiling them. She’ll be a great mother "

Penelope run unable to take it anymore, she didn't stop until she reached the safety of her room. Once inside her breathing turned to sobs. She knew it had been a mistake to go, but she wanted to see Josie, see what she refused to admit, Josie was really happy. She had lost her forever.

Hope was in her room when there was a knock on the door.

"come in"

Landon walked in and found her leaning over an oak crib. With details of wolves, forest and a crescent moon carved in the wood.

"I knew you were impatient, but I didn't expect you to follow me so quickly…" Hope jokes.

Hope got up. Her voice trailed off when she looked at Landon standing there.

"Landon? What are you doing here?"

But for once, it wasn't Hope he couldn't look away from, it was the cradle behind her.

"it’s beautiful"

She looks at it, unable to contain her smile.

“Yes, this crib was made by my mother's late husband for me when I was little. I thought Josie would like it”

"I'm sure she will"

"thanks"

"Hope, I actually came here to talk to you."

" okay" said the tribrid without knowing why she suddenly felt uncomfortable.

Hope watched him walk around for a few seconds, clearly wanting to say something, but hesitating.

"Did you ever think that we would be where we are now?"

Hope thought about how her relationship with Josie had been and what it is like now and had to smile, shaking her head.

"no, I didn’t do it"

"Me neither, Hope. I don't know how we ended up here” He tried to calm his nervousness. "And I'm not sure that's where I want to be"

Hope was confused.

"what do you mean?"

Landon took a deep breath.

“When we were together, I let the secrets you had driven me away. I thought that being less honest meant that you didn't love me the way I love you "

Landon didn't care about secrets anymore, he just wanted the girl back.

Hope's breath caught.

"Don't you mean 'loved'?"

"No" he took a step closer and took her hand "no, I mean love, because I still love you Hope"

In shock, Hope asked.

"What about Charlotte?"

“I don't love her, as I love you, we’re done. And with everything that has happened, it has made me realize that I don't want to waste any more time away from you "

"Landon, what about Josie and the babies?" she couldn't believe the boy ignored them so easily as if they didn't matter.

Landon swallowed hard and said firmly.

“People don't have to be together to raise a child, Hope. And I would love any child of yours. We can be a family together "

"And Josie?" she asked, wanting to know how far the boy would go.

Landon clenched his jaw, trying to deny what he saw with his own eyes.

"I know you care about her, but I also know that you don't love her like you love me" he approached with the intention of kissing her.

Hope's hands went to his shoulders and she gently pushed him away.

“You're right, what we had is not the same as what I have with Josie. My feelings for her aren't like anything I've ever felt before and I'm not going to put that in jeopardy. "

"For the babies?" Landon whispered.

"For the babies," Hope admitted and Landon felt hope in his chest at the words. Then he took a step back. “And for Josie. She means a lot to me, she is what I want to be with "

"Today," Landon added bitterly. “She is what you want today. I just want to say that if you keep ... this with Josie, I don't know if we can find our way back to us”

Hope nodded, looking at his face.

“You're right, we can't go back, Landon. That is not the way life works. We have to move on and I'll do that with Josie. "

Landon couldn't speak and, even if he wanted to, he has a huge lump in his throat that wouldn't allow it. So he just nodded and walked to the door. Hope's voice stopped him for a moment.

"Landon, if you ever need help ..."

He laughed grimly. Of course Hope had to play the hero.

"No, Hope. I don't need you to save me” he said feeling the purpose of each word.

Hope nodded and watched him go. It was over. She could feel the last remaining bonds between them untangled. She knew this moment would happen. They finally had the closure they needed. sighed, her heart felt light. She went back to the crib, finishing assembling it and putting on the light blue bedding.

“So, Hope. Where is that surprise that I heard so much about? " Josie entered, making Hope cover the crib immediately. "Hey, are you okay?" Josie asked when she saw the other girl so serious.

"I'm fine" Hope smiled "Are you ready for the surprise?"

Josie nodded with an excited smile.

"I'm ready"

They took a few steps forward and Hope uncovered the crib.

"Hope, it’s beautiful"

"This crib was mine. my mother's late husband, Jackson, made it for me” She explains while taking Josie's hand “I think my mother would have loved for us to use it for our babies. Jack spent so much time on this, he put so much love in it that I can't believe that love isn't there yet.” She looked a bit embarrassed. "I wanted them to have something good and a bit of my mother"

"Andrew" said Josie through tears "one of the babies will be named Andrew, like you and your mother, is the closest thing to Andrea" she said, remembering the story that the tribrid told her behind their names.

Hope smiled.

"really?"

"Yes" Josie nodded.

"Then it’s only fair that the other will named Lucas like you" said the tribrid remembering Josie's middle name.

"Then it's decided, Lucas and Andrew"

Hope took her in her arms.

"Thanks Josie, for everything"


	20. A place in this world

The loud sound of Hope's cell phone broke the stillness of the night and she blindly looked for it, falling out of bed.

"Are the babies?" She asks quickly.

Since Josie had started the third trimester, Hope had been terrified that Josie would go into labour one of the nights she slept in her room with Lizzie

"Fido, my sister isn’t here!" almost screamed Lizzie

Alarmed, Hope glanced at the time on the clock on her nightstand.

"Lizzie it's five in the morning, are you sure she's not in the bathroom or something?"

"I don't know, I woke up for a glass of water and saw that her bed was empty"

Seconds later Hope was opening the door of Lizzie's room.

"Did you call to her cell phone?

"it’s turned off"

"Well, we'll do a location spell ..." her voice was cut off when her cell phone started ringing and she saw Josie's name, her chest filled with relief "Josie, where are you?"

"You know, you sneak out to surprise your girlfriend in the middle of the night and all you find is an empty bed, where are you, Hope?" Josie demanded, looking down at the unmade bed that should have an auburn haired girl.

"I was looking for you, Lizzie woke up and you weren’t there," she explained.

"Damn, the only time I do this and she wakes up"

"Okay, Jo. I'll tell Lizzie and I'm come back” she hung up the call.

"is she in the hospital? Are the babies coming? " Lizzie asked worriedly.

"Lizzie, she's okay" Hope tries to reassure the girl "she's in my room, apparently she wanted to surprise me"

Relief tore through the blonde followed by anger.

"I’m going to kill her! How could she let me worry like this? Why didn’t she leave a note? "

As Lizzie complained, Hope noticed a piece of paper lying on the floor with Josie's family handwriting.

"something like this?"

Lizzie looked at the note and rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to bed, take care of my sister, mutt"

Hope smiled.

"Always" promised leaving the room and returning to hers.

Josie was lying in the middle of the bed, already asleep. For a long moment, the tribrid just watched her, a soft smile on her lips. She looked beautiful, her hair on her face as she snuggled closer against the pillow. Sigh, satisfaction filled her. She slid between the sheets, wrapping her arms around Josie.

"You're finally home," Josie said sleepily.

Hope let exhaustion pull her in, closing her eyes. Her hand rested on Josie's belly and she felt a light kick under her palm.

"Yes, Jo. I'm finally home "

The next time Hope woke up she was alone again.

"Josie?"

She didn't answer, Hope's keen hearing caught her in the bathroom. The tribrid got out of bed and went to the bathroom, knocking on the door.

"Hey, everything’s alright?"

"Yes" Josie said opening the door for her to enter.

Hope walked into the bathroom, looking at Josie holding a pair of headphones, as she read the book Lizzie gave her about pregnancy.

"What's going on, Josie?"

Josie smiled, trying to hide her nervousness. Last week when she first came up with the idea, it had sounded great, but now, inside Hope's bathroom, she was afraid that Hope would think it was ridiculous.

“Well, according to the pregnancy book, babies' ears are developing right now and that means they are starting to listen. That's why I came here this morning "she explained when the auburn girl was still looking at her puzzled" I just wanted the first thing the babies to hear was us. "

Hope was looking at her in amazement. Every time she thought Josie couldn't bury herself deeper into her heart, she would go and do something like this.

When the tribrid said nothing, the brunette's nervousness increased, as did the speed of their conversation.

"Besides, you're not always with me and I just wanted to make sure these little ones knew what their other mother sounded like."

"I think that's a great idea, Jo" she smiled, holding her hands as she looked around "but why are we in the bathroom?"

"The acoustics is better here" Josie said as if it was the most obvious thing "now, go find your favourite music"

“I will, but first things first. I think we have to do a couple of presentations, right? " she said raising an eyebrow.

Josie nodded happy that Hope was following her plan instead of calling her crazy. Her heart swelled as the tribrid knelt down and began to speak to her belly. She wondered how many people would have agreed to spend the day in the bathroom listening to music with her pregnant girlfriend and she was glad once again that Hope Mikaelson was no ordinary person.

She lifted her hands, gently cupping the brunette's belly as she began to speak in a low voice.

“Hi, it's me, your mom. You know, my mother's voice is the one that always comes with me. She was my conscience, my guide and I just hope that I can do the same for you, and I promise that when you need me, I will always do my best to be there for you. "

Hope felt a slight bump under her palm and shared a smile with Josie. She stood up and unbuttoned Josie's pyjamas to reveal her rounded belly by gently tracing her hands over her skin.

"Now I want to introduce you to the most important person in our world: your other mother, Josie"

Josie reached out a hand to Hope and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Thank you" She whispers.

Clearing her throat, she looked at her swollen stomach, trying to imagine what the babies inside her would be like, what qualities of them combined to form their children.

"Hi, my babies. I’m your mommy. My voice is probably the one you gonna hear the most because you’re inside me. And I'll probably be the bad guy too because your mom will so soft on you. But I promise that you will never, never have to feel alone, because you will always know that you’re loved "

Hope felt the pain in her chest from the tacit sadness she was talking to and from the girl who had been pushed aside to fend for herself too soon when her parents were too busy to pay attention to Lizzie's problems and the children in this school. And yet she had still turned into this girl who continued to amaze her.

"And now that we introduced you to the two people who will always love you more than anything in this world" said Hope with joy in her voice "it's time to introduce you to the best music in the world and whatever your other mother listens to"

Josie rubbed a hand over her stomach.

"Please, my musical tastes are great" she complained

"She doesn’t know what she is talking about, little ones, there is only one word to remember: Jazz"

"Don't start corrupting my children, Hope Mikaelson" she gave a small slap to the hand that Hope was holding on the belly where the babies were, the tribrid smiled as she left the bathroom.

"The only corrupt thing would be to make them listen to your Broadway musicals!" Hope yelled from outside the bathroom.

The tribrid returned with a blanket, some pillows, and a small speaker.

"The acoustics can be excellent, but I don't think you like sitting on the cold floor, come here"

She helped Josie to sit on the floor and then turned on the speaker. They spent most of the day there, listening to their favourite music.

Sometimes they turned off the music and just talked, with each other or with the babies. Hope was lying with her head resting on Josie's thigh, talking to the babies about painting techniques. Then they would switch and Josie would put her head on Hope's lap, her hands tracing her belly as she explained to the babies how to play the ukulele.

Sometime in the afternoon, while Jazz music played softly in the background. Josie looked at the rainbows dancing on the ceiling, reflections thrown from a glass container sitting on the sill of the small bathroom window.

"Do you ever think about what they will look like?"

"I do"

Josie turned her head that was resting against Hope's lap.

"seriously?"

Hope nodded.

"a lot"

"Me too" one of Josie's hands was holding hers and the other was stroking her belly "sometimes they look a lot like you and sometimes they look more like me"

"Oh, really?" Hope asked

"You also know how they look more to me?" Josie said as she looked at the bright colours decorating the ceiling.

"how?" Hope asked softly.

"Happy and carefree, as if nothing could touch them" she turns her head to Hope "Do you think we can give them that?"

The tribrid raised the hand that was intertwined with the brunette and kissed her knuckles.

"I promise we’ll try"

Josie smiled gratefully that she hadn't lied to her and even knowing the overwhelming chances that something would go wrong, she still believed her. Then she knew more than anything that she wanted her children to have that innate sense of hope that the auburn girl possessed. That despite everything that has happened in her life, she still showed small traces of it inside her.

Once the sun started to set. Josie decided they had talked enough. She took the hand that Hope held out and got up slowly with a grimace.

"Let's get something to eat and then I'll give you a back massage" Hope promised.

Josie smiled at her.

"You have a deal; I'll make the food"

"Don't worry Jo, I can do it," Hope offered.

"Poor kids, we destroyed their ears the first day they could use them"

"They’re lucky" Hope said while heating the leftover lasagne that she found in the refrigerator "to have you as a mother"

Josie looked down, concentrating on cutting the vegetables for the salad.

"Then they will always be lucky, because you will be a great mother too, Hope"

"Josie why don't you move into my room?" the words were out of Hope's mouth before she could stop them and she winced sharply. She hadn't wanted to ask her like that, it wasn't even what she wanted until she said it, but now that she had, the certainty rise within her. She never wanted to spend another night without Josie by her side.

"what? Why?" the brunette could barely say.

"There are many reasons. It would be easier to take care of the babies that way, to help you with whatever you need, but” she stopped, shaking her head.

"but?" Josie asked looking at the auburn girl.

“But, the real reason is that I'm never happier than when I'm with you. And the only times I feel at home is when you are there” She confesses.

"It's okay," Josie agreed, smiling as she felt the little kick inside her. Her children agreed "I'll move in with you"

Hope smiled as she served the food.

"You know, we could have let MG pack everything up with his vampire speed and we could have spent our day doing… other things," Hope complained.

When they told Lizzie and MG they would be moving in together they were both eager to help, when MG offered to do it faster, Lizzie said something about helping also, making something would take only a few hours, an all-day event.

Josie laughed at her sullen tone.

"Don't spoil their fun, Hope"

"their fun?" she growled, stretching out on her bed "what about my fun?"

Josie lay down beside her, promising while biting her lip.

"Your fun will come later tonight"

Hope's eyes gleamed gold for a second.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes" Josie kissed her, she moaned trying to get closer, but her pregnancy belly wouldn't allow it.

Hope rolled them over until Josie was on her back and leaned over her.

"better?"

“A lot” Josie rolled her arms around her neck and brought their lips back together. she sigh, deepening the kiss. Hope felt Josie's hand slide under her T-shirt and hers slide under an old Henley that belonged to her father that Josie stole from her closet that morning, lightly running down her sides.

"Hell, Wolfie. Now I will have to wash my eyes with acid "complained Lizzie, who was coming after MG" you should hang something on the door "

Hope got up from the bed and shook her head.

"I'm sorry" said the vampire

Hope looked at him seriously.

"Stop scaring my boyfriend, Fido"

"Okay, I won't kill him, but I want this to end today," Hope said as she helped Josie out of bed.

"Tonight" the brunette promised her gently as she gave her a small kiss on the lips.

Hope took one of the heavier boxes from Lizzie’s room.

"Don't you dare lift anything, you know what your Aunt Elena said," she warned Josie.

"Relax Hope, you’ll do all the loading, I'll just pack"

"I don't know Josie, some of those things look heavy," she said when she saw her lift a pile of clothes.

“Hope, I know you have this whole hero complex, but I don't need you to save me from some blouses. Get out or there won't be fun tonight” she warned.

Hope reluctantly left, walking past Lizzie, muttering something to the blonde. Who continued on her way to her room.

"I have received instructions to avoid you packing more than one garment at a time," she announced to her sister.

Josie rolled her eyes.

"You wouldn't know, there was so much worry in such a small body" Josie complained as she paused for a minute looking at her old room.

"What happens?" asked the blonde.

“Hormones, nostalgia. Choose one. It's just that I grew up in this place and it's harder to leave than I thought it would be "

Lizzie smiled at her sister's melancholy expression.

"I know"

"It's stupid right?"

"It's not stupid, Josie" replied Lizzie "I have to admit I will miss you"

Josie hugged her sister, blinking the stupid tears that seemed to be filling her eyes lately "I'll miss you too Lizzie"

They let go as they listened to Hope speak near the room. Lizzie winked at her sister.

"Josie, I told you not to lift that box by yourself."

So fast, they could swear that the vampire was Hope and not MG. The auburn girl was in the middle of the room, looking around. When she saw the twins sitting on the bed and laughing, she pouted.

"That was not funny"

"Yes it was, Hope" Josie gasped, trying to control her laughter.

"Is everything okay, Hope?" asked MG upon entering.

"Yeah come on, we'll leave the girls with their jokes" she said angrily, making the twins laugh more.

Later that night Josie stayed awake, looking around the dark room. The day had been spent laughing and joking as the cardboard boxes were filled and moved into Hope's room. Now she was officially living in Hope's room. She was supposed to be fast asleep like the girl who lay dead to the world next to her, but she wasn't. She should be exhausted, between moving everything and then the fun she and Hope had, twice, earlier that night, but somehow the dream eluded her.

Her eyes moved over the now familiar walls, this place had slowly become her sanctuary. She belonged there now.

She sighed, the tension leaving her body.

"Hey, are you okay?" Hope muttered half asleep.

"Yes, I'm fine" when Hope didn't answer, she looked to her side to find her asleep again. Smiling, she let her thumb slide down the tribrid's cheek. this was her place; this is where she belonged.

“mine”

The dream came and the smile remained on her face.


	21. Getting Ready

Josie came downstairs, huffing.

"I can't believe they said that"

Hope was waiting for her.

"What did they say?" She asks curiously.

She glanced behind the brunette where Lizzie and MG walked cautiously behind Josie, making it clear that mood swings Josie was present. Now that she was in the middle of her third trimester, she was getting more and more agitated, slapping her words at anyone who crossed her path, far behind was sweet and quiet Josie Saltzman. Hope knew it was a mixture of impatience, fear, and agitation that kept her nervous. Usually she knew when the Josie storm was starting, she was one of the few people who could stop it.

"that I walk like a penguin" she replied indignantly when she caught up with Hope. "you can believe that?"

The tribrid tried to hold back a smile, but Josie caught her, narrowing her eyes dangerously at her.

"A cute penguin," Hope said, offering her a glass of smoothie.

Josie snorted, refusing to dignify her words with an answer and instead took a drink from her glass. They all walked into the dining room and sat down. Lizzie and MG were still looking a bit apprehensive, while Hope was smiling.

Josie decided to ignore her smiling girlfriend and turned to her sister.

"So how is life without me?"

"You mean to sleep not only at night, but also in the morning without waking me up when you go to the bathroom?" Lizzie joked, but then sighed "easy, but a little lonely"

“I miss you too, Lizzie. I could stay with you from time to time "

"Don't worry dear sister, I'll just make MG stay more often" she leaned towards the vampire.

"Anything for my girl" said the vampire as she put her arm around the blonde's shoulders.

Hope who went for her and Josie's breakfast when the brunette decided to ignore her, handed her a plate to Josie and shared a smile.

Hope thought the moment she met MG, she had to admit that the boy seemed a bit… nerdy, but he was one of the most loyal people Hope had ever met. And no one could deny that he loved Lizzie very much.

It made her happy to see that. The blonde had always had love problems, mostly because of her insecurities when it came to her mental health, but now she was happy and more confident. Her relationship with the vampire had turned out to be one of the best things that had happened to the blonde, and that loyalty to the twins had passed over to Hope.

Not to mention that he already considered himself the baby's uncle and had offered to take care of them whenever they wanted.

"So, have you already thought of names for the little ones?" the vampire asked, pointing to Josie's belly.

"We did" Josie smiled "but we want it to be a surprise"

"And have you thought about whether you are going to have the babies in the hospital or will it be a home birth or in this case at school?" she winced at the thought of what a delivery would be like.

"We're not sure, we would need to ask Aunt Freya and then fix everything with Elena," Hope explained.

"I don't know girls, but I think a home birth and without drugs is not pretty," the vampire commented, looking at the couple in front of him.

"Tell me," said Josie, who did not want to go through all that without anaesthesia of any kind.

"So, how are Lamaze classes going?" Lizzie asked trying to change the subject.

Hope grimaced, knowing that topic wouldn't make Josie happy. In general, the brunette liked her classes. She had delved into her classes with such dedication that Hope knew it was from her desire to be a good mother. Unfortunately, in the last class, they had shown videos about childbirth.

"We learned to breathe," Josie said with annoyance.

Hope explained her short answer.

“We learned how to breathe the right way during labour and how to prepare for it. You know, make sure you have a car seat, choose clothes for it to wear and have a suitcase ready, things like that. "

Josie's face lit up

"Hope already packed a bag for me and the babies, it's by our bedroom door, I almost bumped into it yesterday"

The tribrid's cheeks were stained red. Lizzie smiled.

"What are your plans for today?" asked the blonde.

"Freya will come today to see if we will have these babies as nature dictates, with drugs or the barbarian way at home," Josie commented.

Hope laughed at the brunette's comment.

“Good luck, girls. Take care of my sister, wolfie” Lizzie threatened before dragging MG off the table.

"We'd better go too, Aunt Freya must be hopeful at the mansion," Hope commented, helping Josie up.

After meeting Freya, who assured them that there was no problem in having a completely normal delivery in a hospital, so they didn't have to worry.

"you're good?" Hope asked as she drove back to school, Josie took her hand and placed it on her lap, trying to reassure the tribrid. Josie knew she was still worried about her, even considering the ease of her pregnancy these last few months. She was worried too, but she refused to think that something bad was going to happen. They had been through too much already.

"I'm fine, but I guess we'll call Aunt Elena to fix everything at the hospital"

"Are you ready for this?"

Josie shook her head.

“Nor, even if I had 10 years to prepare, I don't know if I'll ever be ready. But I want to see them and hug them. I want to know what their eyes, their noses and their smiles are like. So yeah, I think I'm ready for this. And you?"

"I'm ready for anything as long as you're by my side, Josie"

Josie laughed at her corniness and knew she was catching it when she couldn't stop to say something "then, you'll always be ready, Hope"


	22. Beautiful Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments, i'm glad you like this mess i made...so , let's meet the Hosie babies.

Josie looked longingly out the window, sighing back to bed to do her homework.

A kick to the lower part of her belly made her rub the spot with the palm of her hand.

“I know, I'm bored too"

With her due date approaching, Alaric had forbidden her to attend classes, but she still had to do her assignments. She was going crazy for doing nothing.

A throbbing started in her lower back and she rubbed her hand over her, wishing Hope was here, she gave the best massages.

Irritated, she started pacing the room. Today she felt bad and didn’t know why. Yet another reason to miss Hope. When she got like this, she could make her laugh. The tribrid understood how difficult it was for Josie to do nothing, finish whatever she had to do to spend more time with her. But now her girlfriend was in class and she wouldn't be back for two hours.

Her back pain got worse, so she put a pillow on the head of the bed and sat against it. The babies, as if sensing their mother's agitation, began to move. She could feel them press against her belly and she lifted her shirt. A small lump was visible under her skin and she ran the tip of her finger over it.

"Hello"

Pain shot through her body and she couldn't help screaming. Remembering what her Aunt Elena had told her about contractions, she tried to relax. Another pain shot through her as she tried to get up.

“What's up little ones? Are you trying to scare mommy? "

It had happened once before, earlier in the week, she had started to feel similar pains, but she had kept it to herself, knowing that Hope was constantly worried about her since her Aunt Elena had told her on their last date that the babies could be born at any moment. That night, she had made the mistake of screaming when particularly strong pain had gone through her, later found on a gurney at the Mystic Falls medical centre, Hope didn't calm down until the ER doctor examined her and proclaimed that she been a false alarm.

She tried to breathe until she felt the liquid run down her legs. She takes her cell phone from the nightstand and call Hope.

"Do you miss me already?" Hope's cheerful voice answered her. She had just gotten out of one of her classes as she made her way to the other.

"Hope ..." her name came out as a gasp.

"Josie?"

"My water broke"

"I'm going over there"

A few minutes later Hope walked through the bedroom door.

"shit!"

"My thoughts exactly" another pain shot through her, Hope immediately wrapped her arms around her, helping her to her feet. Her legs shaking from the effort.

Hope took it bridal style. Fortunately, there was no one in the hallways because it was time for classes. The tribrid carried Josie out to the garage to a black Bentley parked there. Hope took out the keys and unlocked the car.

"I didn't know you had a car," Josie said, they usually took the Camaro when they left school.

“My uncle Elijah left it to me, I asked my Aunt Freya to bring it, thinking that I was going to use it to take you to the hospital. Apparently I was right” she explained as she helped her to sit in the passenger seat.

"Well thought out," Josie said.

The ride to the hospital was somewhat rushed, Josie could see how tense her tribrid were from the way she took the wheel.

She helps Josie out of the car and walk slowly beside her toward the hospital entrance.

"I need help" she indicated to the first person with a gown she saw "my girlfriend is in labour"

A nurse came up with a wheelchair and helped Josie sit up.

"Honey, how long ago did the contractions start?" The woman asked Josie.

"I don't know, but it doesn't take long between one and the other, it hurts a lot," Josie complained.

"Okay, let's take you to a room, while your girlfriend fills out the paperwork" She hands to Hope a clipboard "and then we'll call your doctor"

Josie looked up in terror at the thought of parting from Hope.

"I'll do it quickly" promised the auburn girl.

Josie nodded reluctantly.

"Call mom, dad and Lizzie, tell them to bring the suitcase"

Hope nodded, as she filled out the paperwork they handed her, took her cell phone and dialled Alaric. The man had barely said anything when Hope cut him off.

"Josie went into labour, we're in the hospital, she wants them here"

"We'll go right away," the man commented, the nervousness was heard in his voice.

"Tell Lizzie to bring the suitcase from my room, please"

"Okay Hope" the tribrid was about to hang up when Alaric's voice said her name again "Hope"

"yes?"

"Everything will be fine" he assures her.

"thanks"

Hope watched the nurse walk down the hall.

"where is she?"

"This way" said the nurse, they walked down the hall, Hope immediately caught Josie's racing heartbeat, making her walk faster.

She opened the door and there she was. Josie had already changed her into a robe and her face was covered in sweat. She was up beside her in an instant. The brunette's arms wrapped around her neck. Hope rubbed her back trying to calm them both.

Elena walked into the room, hugging a clipboard and smiled at them.

"So the little ones decided that today would be the day, eh?"

Josie nodded.

"yes"

The doctor sat across from Josie's legs and lifted the sheet, examining it.

Josie felt another contraction approach.

"I feel like I should push"

Elena shook her head.

“This isn’t time to push, Josie. You're not ready yet, I need you to relax” and with that she leaves them alone for a moment.

Hope tried to comfort Josie by rubbing her back and talking to her about anything that might distract the brunette.

Minutes later Elena returned and examined Josie again.

"Josie, we're ready, when you feel the next contraction I want you to push"

The pain struck again and the brunette gave everything she had. Hope felt Josie crush her hand from the effort, but she didn't complain.

"You're doing good Jo" Hope encouraged her girlfriend.

"Remember when you said you would do anything for me?" she asked with her head resting on her shoulder.

It had been the first night they had been together, the words whispered like a promise against her skin as they explored their bodies. Hope's cheeks turned red.

"I want you to have the babies"

The tribrid laughed.

The contractions had started again and the drugs didn't seem to make much of a difference.

"Push Josie" said Elena.

The brunette pushed with everything she had, the pain pierced her and a scream left her lips and was later replaced by the cry of a baby.

"The first one was born, he's a boy," Elena announced as she handed him over to a nurse who brought him closer to Josie and Hope.

The girls stared at the baby for a few seconds when another sharp pain made Josie cry out.

"I can't, I can't do this" complained the young brunette. Every part of her body ached and she didn't think she could move, much less keep pushing.

“Yes you can, Jo. You’re the strongest person I know and you aren’t alone, I am with you, we can handle anything, okay? "

She nodded, tears running freely down her cheeks, push three more times.

A small cry announced the arrival of their second child to this world. The nurse took the boy and covered him with a blue blanket. A few minutes later the nurse handed one child to Josie and the other to Hope.

"Hello little one," Josie whispered against the head of the baby she was holding. The baby shook his head towards the sound.

"He seems to know his mommy's voice" Hope said with a smile, then she noticed how the baby she was holding had done the same.

"It seems that he also knows yours" indicated the baby in the arms of the tribrid.

"They are beautiful," Hope said looking at both babies.

"we did it well"

Both girls looked at their babies adoringly, until a disturbance was heard outside the room.

Alaric entered, followed by Caroline, Lizzie, and MG. Lizzie sighed in relief when she looked at her sister. Her eyes went to the small bundles the girls were holding.

"Those are…?"

"Your nephews" Josie smiled.

"what are their names?" Alaric asked.

Josie handed her baby to her father, the little boy had full lips like Josie and a small nose like Hope. Her head was covered in fine black hair that reminded her of the hair of the twins' mother, Jo.

"This's Andrew Nicholas Mikaelson in honour of Hope's parents," she informed to her father.

"It's a beautiful name" Caroline almost cried looking at the baby in Alaric's arms.

"And this," Hope said, handing the other baby to Lizzie. "is Lucas Eli Mikaelson in honour of Josie, you and my uncle Elijah"

The blonde let out crying as she examined the baby in her arms. This little boy had strawberry blonde hair that Lizzie was sure would change to Hope's auburn when he grew up, the shape of his eyes reminded her of Hope, Josie's nose and she could almost swear the shape of his eyebrows pulled it out of her.

"He is beautiful, Wolfie" she said with feeling "although it was to be expected because we share genes" she jokes making everyone in the room laugh.

"You did a great job, Girls" congratulated MG who looked at the baby that his girlfriend was holding.

"I'm glad they're okay, I was so scared when Ric called to tell me that Josie was in the hospital" Caroline said.

Lizzie was passing the baby to MG.

"support his head" Hope commented.

"Are you now a baby expert, Fido, after being a mother for how long, half an hour?" Lizzie scoffed.

A mother, a smile spread across Hope's face at her new title.

She shook her head and returned her attention to Josie.

"you're good?"

"I'm exhausted"

At the sound of his mother's voice, Lucas turned his head, not feeling her close, he began to cry.

"what did you do? MG, you broke the baby” the blonde said her boyfriend.

Hope took the baby from the vampire's arms and cradled him close to her chest, he relaxed when he felt the warmth of his other mother, until he fell asleep.

"It looks like you have the magic touch, Hope" pointed out MG.

"I've waited so long to hold him in my arms, I don't want to put him down," Hope joked.

"And you're not the only one," the vampire indicated to Josie and the other baby in Caroline's arms.

"It has been a great day, I think it is better if we let them rest" Alaric commented "I will call your family, we will be back tomorrow"

Hope nodded as Caroline handed her the other baby.

"Good job, your parents would be very proud," the blonde said to the girl.

"Thank you Caroline"

"Take care of my daughter and grandchildren"

"I’ll do it"

The tribrid sat in the small chair near the bed, looking at both babies in her arms.

Josie woke up in the dark hospital room, looking around to find Hope sitting next to the bed, holding the babies in her arms.

She felt Josie stare at her and looked up.

"Hey, how do you feel?"

"As if I just had two babies, but I'm not as tired as before, where did everyone go?"

"They went back to school, but don't worry they'll be back early tomorrow"

Josie nodded and held out her hand.

"come here with me"

"You need to rest," Hope warned, but did as she was asked.

"I rest better with you"

Hope carefully placed the babies in the rolling crib the nurse brought in and pulled them as close to the bed as possible. They interlocked their hands as they looked at their little ones.

The two girls fell asleep with a smile.

A cry woke Hope as she slid out of the hospital bed, grabbed Andrew and rocked him. However, the little boy didn’t calm down and his crying became more demanding.

"Come on, little one" Hope said desperately "let your brother and mommy sleep a little more"

Between feeding the babies and the nurses coming to do their rounds, Josie hadn't slept much.

But the boy only cried louder and behind them, Josie spoke.

"Okay, Hope. Pass him to me”

Hope turned to see the brunette with outstretched arms. There were black circles around her eyes, but when Hope handed her the baby, she smiled brightly. She pulled down her robe and Andrew's cries died down as he was start suck.

"it hurt?" Hope asked curiously.

Josie shook her head, looking fondly at the baby.

"No, it doesn't hurt"

Hope's cell phone rang.

"Hello, Caroline"

"Hi, Hope" Josie's mother's voice was heard through the line "How are Josie and my grandchildren?"

Hope smiled at the pride in the blonde's tone, knowing she felt more than a good deal herself.

"they are fine"

"Well, I was calling to ask if you want us to bring you something? And to find out if Josie is going out today "

"Elena said that if everything went well on today's exam, then I can take them home this afternoon."

"That's great!" Caroline exclaimed.

"Yeah I think so" Hope said smiling, as she looked at Josie burping Andrew "what time will you come?"

"I just finished packing some things and I'm going there"

"Tell them to bring the suitcase and the diaper bag" said Josie

“I already have them in the car” Caroline commented “Bye, Hope. Take good care of my daughter and my grandchildren "

"I will Caroline, thank you"

When Hope hung up the call, she heard a disturbance outside the door, people shouting with a British accent.

The tribrid took Lucas from the cradle.

"Well, it seems like you are about to meet the family," she commented to her sleeping son.

The door opened to relieve Rebekah, Kol, Freya, and company. The blonde stopped short when she saw her niece holding a baby.

"Oh, is he ...?"

"Your grandson, yes," Hope assured.

"may l?" I ask the original vampire.

"Sure" she gave Rebekah the baby.

"Congratulations girl" said Marcel as he approached Hope and gave her a big hug,

"This is the other one?" Kol asked when he saw him in Josie's arms.

"Yes" replied the brunette handing the baby to the vampire who immediately showed him to his wife who was by his side.

"He is beautiful" said Davina looking at the baby. "I'm Davina by the way" she introduced herself.

"Josie"

“It seems that everything went well,” Freya said, smiling at her niece and Josie.

"Yes, everything went well," said Hope.

"I told you, there was nothing to worry about" Keelin commented next to her. "Congratulations, Hope" she smiled at the girl and gave her a hug. "You too Josie, having a baby is not easy at all"

"Thank you Keelin"

"the names?" asked Kol

"The one you're carrying is Andrew Nicholas Mikaelson and Aunt Bekah is carrying Lucas Eli Mikaelson," Hope informed.

"Beautiful names, not as much as Kol jr."

"Forget it, idiot. You and Davina have your own baby” Rebekah said to her brother.

"what? It's not fair that Nik has two boys with his name and I have none, when obviously I'm more fantastic than him”

The Mikaelson family started arguing with each other, Josie and Hope just watched with joy, it was good to have the family together.

The discussion increased so much that they woke up the babies, who only opened their eyes.

"WOW" Rebekah commented. "This little boy has Hayley's eyes" she said as a tear ran down her cheek.

"really?" Hope asked coming closer, her children had been sleeping all this time, they hadn’t opened their eyes until now.

Hope looked at the baby, his eyes were shiny golden orbs with hints of green just like her mother's. She smiled with tears in her eyes.

"Just like Mom's" she smiled at Josie.

"Well, this little one has them aquamarine" Davina commented looking at the baby in her husband's arms.

Josie stretched, causing Kol to put the baby down for the mother to look at.

"Hi little one," Josie greeted as she examined his eyes. "They look like Hope's, but it has hints of green like Mom's"

"Caroline?" Hope asked.

"No, bio-mom"

"Oh"

"So both babies inherited their grandmother’s eyes?" Keelin asked.

"I didn't know Jo, but Hayley was a great woman," Marcel said.

"Jo too, she was a great woman," Josie said.

A nurse entered the room.

"hi, you have to leave the room, there are many people for a visit"

Rebekah was about to compel her, when Freya spoke.

"I think it's time to go and let the girls get ready" said the witch "we'll see them at school when they come back" and without leaving any more topic for discussion, she took her siblings out of the room.

After the departure of the original family, Josie's family arrived with the babies ‘stuff.

Hope left the room while Caroline helped Josie take a bath. The girl didn’t lose sight of the door.

Alaric waited by her side, he didn't know if he should say the words that swirled inside him. But he found himself talking inadvertently.

“I know how you feel, Hope. I felt the same way when the twins were born. You wonder how the universe could have been crazy enough to entrust something so precious to a silly child like you "

Hope laughed.

"I know, I thought I was ready, but when I look at them" she smiled "and I have never felt so helpless and I can't afford that luxury now, I'm their mother and I don't want to hurt them"

Alaric nodded as he looked at the girl who grew up to be this stunning young woman.

“Good parents never want to hurt their children. They want to give them the best of everything and help them on their way. But sometimes” he sigh" they are busy with life and forget that they are still a foolish child entrusted with the most precious thing in the universe. If you only remember that feeling and you will always be a good mother, Hope "

"Thanks Alaric"

Later that night, after returning with Josie and the babies to school, Hope watched her children inside the crib while Josie slept.

"Hey" greeting "I know we have already met, but I thought it would be good to introduce myself again, I’m Hope your mom"

Luke as Lizzie had nicknamed Lucas yawning. Hope laughed quietly.

“Yes I know, yesterday's news. I just thought I should clear up a few things” she smiled at the babies “I never thought I would be, you know, a mother. I always thought that anyone could be more prepared than I could be. I’m new on this, so I’ll make a lot of mistakes, but I’ll never quit and I’ll never stop trying to be better for you. My mother, your grandmother, she wasn't here long enough to help me with this, like she's supposed to. But your other grandmother is here and she can help me to make this right "

Josie woke up, heard the little speech, it hurt that Hope doubted herself.

"You know I didn't believe in love at first sight, I thought they were fairytales" she whispered with tears in her eyes "but now I know I was wrong, because the moment I held both of you in my arms, I fell in love. I know I may not be the best mother for you right now, but I swear I’ll never stop trying "

“You don't have to try, Hope” said Josie getting out of bed and approaching the girl “you’re already a great mother, they love you because you are you and no one could replace you, they would never accept it, I wouldn’t accept it. You’re a good mother, Hope Mikaelson. Never doubt it"

The babies were moved by Josie's voice.

"It seems they also know their mommy"

"Well, you know, they’re our children, of course they’re smarter than the average babies" Josie said with mock seriousness, then laughed

"Let's go to sleep" Hope said when she noticed how tired Josie still looked.

Inside the bed, both girls turned to look into each other's eyes.

"how you feel?" Hope asked

Josie took a deep breath.

"happy. I feel happy"

Hope smiled when she noticed that Josie had fallen asleep. She traces her cheek with her knuckles.

"Yes, this is definitely what happiness looks like"


	23. NOLA Witches & Crescents Wolves

"Pack their blankets" Josie said, while looking for her other shoe, the brunette looked stressed.

"Jo, you don't have to come if you're tired, Aunt Freya and Keelin can help me with the twins."

"Please, I won’t miss the presentation of my children with the witches and werewolves of New Orleans" said the girl while looking for the shoe under the bed.

Freya had come a week after the twins were born, to give them the news that the witches and wolves were asking for the presentation of the twins. That, although they didn’t live in New Orleans, they were part of the supernatural community because they were Hope’s children, who belonged to both factions.

The witches had a small presentation meeting, where the babies received blessings from the community, as well as their acceptance in it.

In the case of wolves, they usually didn't do such a thing unless they were the alpha’s children. With Hayley dead, Hope was theoretically the Alpha. Although the pack was led by a Jackson’s cousin, their sons were still royalty and part of the alpha line therefore they had to be introduced to the pack.

So those were the reasons they were looking for a shoe.

"Found it," Hope said as she pulled the shoe out from under the bed, and put the shoe on Josie's foot. "It fits" Hope smiled.

"I guess that makes you my charming princess" Josie said taking Hope's face and giving her a chaste kiss on the lips.

The babies waved their arms excitedly. Josie looked at her children and then walked over to Hope.

"Although I think we have the story a little backwards" she whispered to the tribrid.

"Well, if anyone had to have their fairy tale turned upside down, it would definitely be us" Hope joked.

Josie was about to take the baby carriers, but Hope stopped her.

"Do you remember what Elena said?" She reminded her "to take it easy, that means I carry things"

"Good," Josie relented. Leading the way to the exit, when they reached the ground floor, they met Alaric.

"Where are you two going this morning?" asked the director looking at the suitcases and carriers with the babies that Hope carried "I thought you were asleep"

"Just a little trip to New Orleans," Josie said to her father, "apparently we have to introduce the twins to the supernatural community there and with Hope's driving, we'll probably be out all weekend."

"I'm being cautious, Jo"

"You're being very overprotective, Hope" replied the brunette.

The auburn woman gestured toward their children.

"Are you telling me that you're willing to have something happen to them?"

Josie's eyes met Luke and she melted at the serious look the baby gave her. The brunette sighed and looked at her father.

"We will return sometime on Sunday"

Alaric smiled at his daughter and leaned over to the babies.

"Goodbye, little ones. Take care of your moms” He kissed each of them on the forehead.

Hope got everything into her car, it took her exactly 10 minutes to figure out how the baby seats fit into the car. Since everything was ready they were able to leave.

"Ready?" Hope asked.

“ready” Josie assured.

Hope and Josie held hands as they each held a baby. They entered the great house, where the faction of witches waited.

"Everything will be fine," Freya assured behind them. "It is a routine thing"

"We went through this when Nik was born," Keelin assured

Both couples entered the place, it looked like a welcome party for babies, there were blue balloons hanging everywhere.

"They're finally here," Vincent's voice said. "Now we can start" He drags Hope and Josie to the centre of the room, where there was some kind of altar. "Put the babies here"

"what is this?" Josie asked.

"Don't worry girls" Freya said "It's part of the show"

Josie looked at Hope, who just nodded, she trusted her Aunt Freya, and if she said nothing was wrong, then nothing happened. The girls put the babies on the altar.

“Today is a happy day, we welcome two new members to our community” began Vincent “they will be part of us, New Orleans will be their home. Your friends will be our friends and your enemies will be our enemies "

Everyone applauded.

"And as regent of the 9 covens, I give you my blessing" Vincent finished making a gesture in front of the babies.

Each of the witches at the party approached the twins and made the same gesture.

"They are blessings" Freya said to Josie and she still looked suspiciously at the people who approached their babies. "Don't worry, they are fine"

The party went on smoothly after that, until Luke started crying, indicating that it was his time for bed.

The meeting with the wolves was more of an adult party where everyone was drinking and celebrating. Travis, Jackson's cousin, took Andy, inspected the baby's shoulder to ensure that he had the Crescent birthmark, when looking at the mark, he held it up to show it to the other wolves.

"The Alpha’s heir, wolves!" shouted the man making the other wolves scream with joy.

"This reminds me of the lion king," Josie said softly to Hope, who just laughed. " Why Andy and not Luke? " then ask.

"Andy is the oldest, so he's higher in the order of succession for now," Hope explained to Josie.

"for now?" Josie asked even more confused.

“Luke has the right to challenge his brother for the Alpha’s title, and if he wins he would be the new alpha” Hope looks at the concern on Josie's face “not a challenge to the death, Jo. It’s only the one who shows more strength and can submit the other and since they’re both alpha’s sons, simply the loser would become second in command "

Josie was a little calmer with the answer, but still she wasn’t very happy with all this, she didn’t want her children to grow up to have a rivalry with each other.

But for now they would just enjoy the party.


	24. Now

Landon's hand trembled when he raised it to knock on the door. He had difficult days, then he had gone to the only place where he had felt at home, looking at that kind smile, the love in those blue eyes when they landed on him.

He wanted to see Hope. He knew the girl was back had confirmed that after going with MG.

_He knocks on the vampire's door and a few seconds later MG opened the door with a wide smile._

_"Landon, hello man, come in"_

_The boy smiled in warm welcome, he had barely entered when he looked at the diaper bag on the vampire's desk._

_MG followed his gaze and smiled._

_“Yeah, I decided I needed to have one here for when Lizzie brings the babies. Trust me bro, you don't want to be caught unprepared "_

_Each word felt like a stab, but he forced himself to focus. Noticing the blue blanket on the side of the diaper bag._

_"what are their names?"_

_MG sighed and he could see the sorrow in his eyes as he answered._

_"Andrew and Lucas or Andy and Luke if you ask Lizzie"_

_Landon nodded, looking around. MG had a pile of old movies with a blue rattle on top. A laundry basket on the floor revealed men's clothing along with a small baby set, and on the desk was a baby bottle. Hope's babies were obviously a big part of MG's life._

_Landon wondered if MG would be that close if those were his children with Hope._

_"Look Landon, I know this is not easy for you, man, but I'm here if you want to talk"_

_The boy raised his hand._

_"I'm well. We’ve both move on "_

_"Well then why don't we go downstairs, find something to eat and play video games for a bit?" suggested the vampire._

_"No, I really don't have time, I need to do something with Raf" he lied "but it's still standing, the trip to your house this weekend?"_

_"Of course, that hasn't changed," assured the vampire._

_"Perfect" he walked to the door and out._

The door opened, pulling him out of his thoughts. Hope's surprised face greeted him.

"Landon?"

"Hi"

"What are you doing here?" Hope asked surprised, it was past midnight and she was cooing to Luke when Landon knocked on her door.

"may I come in?"

"Yeah sure" she let him pass and then closed the door "just don't make noise Josie and Andy are asleep" she indicated to the bed, where the brunette was sleeping with a baby curled up in her. "Between school and the babies, she’s very tired"

The boy nodded trying not to imagine in all the things that the brunette had, all the things that he didn’t know he had wanted until it was too late. And all that she had with Hope.

Landon looked at the baby in Hope's arms. His small golden eyes with green hues and the thin layer of light copper hair.

"he's beautiful"

Hope smiled happily.

"I think he is"

Landon cleared his throat.

"Hope, one of the reasons I came here is that I wanted to apologise for what happened last time."

In his heart he knew she had been right, but he hated the distance she had created between them. So, he could lie to close the gap.

Hope looked at him nervously and pulled Luke closer to her. Her son looked at her with big, serious eyes, as if he wanted to know what she’ll do next. Hope didn't know what to do, she felt guilty even for being in the same room with Landon after what happened last time. But if the boy was really apologizing, she couldn't hold it against him. Then she smiled.

“It's okay, Landon. You were going through a lot and it's easy to hold onto the comfort of the past. Believe me I have done it too "

The boy swallowed his anger feeling that his feelings were so easily dismissed.

"and now?"

"Now I have something that ties me to the future" she smiled at the boy in her arms who was struggling to stay awake.

"may l..?" He asks. He hadn't wanted to. He was sure he would do anything to prevent it, but now, for reasons he couldn't explain, he wanted to hold him. The baby almost asleep, he moved when they changed arms, but calmed down once more. He marvelled at the small body in his arms. "He is a good boy"

"Yes, he is," Hope agreed with a smile.

As Landon held the little baby, the lines of reality blurred, giving him what his heart desired, a truth that was not his. Give him this life.

This little boy was his and Hope's, he thought, looking at the only girl he had truly loved, who was looking at them adoringly. He was at home, where he really belonged. They were together, they were a family. He was really happy.

He watches the baby wrinkle his nose.

"He looks a lot like Josie, he has her nose." Hope's soft voice intruded on his thoughts.

Landon looked down at the baby and realized it wasn't Hope's nose or his own. It was Josie's features he was looking at. His mind returned to reality, to the life he couldn't escape.

Without saying anything, he returned the baby to Hope, who was ignorant of the fact that his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces in front of her.

Since he met her, something had drawn him to Hope. It wasn't her good looks or her personality. It was the way she looked at him, they felt so connected, like they were looking for the same thing. As if everything she was looking for she saw in him, that look was gone.

Hope had finally found what she was looking for and it wasn't him.

Then he asked the question.

"You’re really happy, right?"

"Yes I am. More than I ever thought I could be "

She really was, he realized. He has never seen her look so happy. He had always thought that the loss of her parents was what made her so unhappy, so incomplete. The revelation that he was wrong hit him and he wanted to be anywhere other than with this bright, happy life that he couldn't have and the girl who loved someone other than him.

“You know, it's late. I should go” he opened the door and looked at Hope, feeling the finality of the moment “bye, Hope”

"Bye, Landon" she watched him go without being sure what had happened. Luke began to move angrily against Hope's chest. "Well, let's go with mommy and your brother"

She put Luke in the middle of the bed, near where Josie and Andy were sleeping soundly. Luke made noise, Josie still asleep stretched her arm to bring the baby closer to her. Hope smiled at that, the conversation with Landon erased from her head. Silently she changed and then took her place on the bed with the babies lying between her and Josie.

There they were, she thought. Her gaze sweeping over Josie and the babies. Her whole world was in that bed. She kissed each of them on the cheek and smiled at the identical expression of disgust that appeared on all three of them for disturbing their sleep. She closed her eyes, happy.


	25. Us

Penelope watched as the witches passed Josie's babies between them, making faces and sounds to make the twins laugh. The witch watched as Josie separated from the group to pick up some books from her backpack.

“They seem to have a little competition there” Penelope indicated to the witches who played with Josie's children.

Josie smiled.

"it doesn’t matter; they all lose to Hope. All she has to do is hug them and I swear the twins know she would do anything for them and they smile. "

Penelope nodded, looking away, as pain shot through her chest. She looked over at the group of witches, noticed that all the attention in the room was on the babies and seized the moment, moving closer to Josie, her hand covering hers. Josie looked at her confused.

"I'm sorry to ended up ours like I did," Penelope said seriously.

Josie gently pulled her hand away from the girl.

"I know, you had good reasons, or at least you thought you had"

"Have you ever thought what would have happened if we stayed together?"

“No, I don't look back anymore. I love my babies and I wouldn't change anything "

And Hope? Do you love her too? " She asks. She had to know, she had to know if there was any chance for the two of them. "Or are you playing house until something real appears?"

Josie put down the book she was holding, looked down, thinking of Hope. When did she realize that she loved her? Had it been one of those nights where she saw her holding the babies with a proud smile? Had it been on their first night together, that she made her feel things she never thought she could feel? Or was it long before, when she placed a hand on her belly and said that they were a family now?

Josie shook her head, be it a single moment and the sum of all of them, but now she knew and looked at the girl she had thought would teach her what true love was.

“I can't answer for her” she said sadly, “but for me, this is real. I love her, Pen. She’s so easy to love that it's hard to believe that at some point in my life I didn't. So if we are playing a game, I’ll play it to the end "

Penelope nodded.

"You deserve to be happy, Jojo"

"Thank you" said the brunette as she walked back to where her children were.

"Hey fleas" Lizzie greeted when Hope entered her room.

"Thanks, for taking care of the twins, Lizzie" Hope thanked without paying much attention to the blonde, as she took the babies’ things.

Lizzie looked at the auburn girl, who was more serious than usual.

"Alright, sit down and drop whatever you have"

"It's okay," Hope denied.

“you’re a terrible liar, Mikaelson. Just tell me what happens "

The tribrid sighed and sat on the bed.

"I feel like things are different between Josie and me"

Lizzie frowned.

"She is walking away from you and the babies?"

"No, it isn’t that, she loves the boys and we're still together" She takes a deep breath "it just seems like we're waiting for something to happen"

Hope had had that feeling since they returned from their trip to New Orleans, she knew there was something in the brunette's mind that was keeping her restless, she just hadn't said anything about it.

"Or maybe, she is expecting you to admit that you love her?" the blonde said slyly. "You love my sister, right?"

"Of course I do" she said almost desperately.

"So, why don't you tell her?"

“After Landon and Penelope” her voice trailed off “we have both been through a lot and everything is going so well that I’m afraid of doing something that puts it in danger. Josie and the babies mean everything to me, Lizzie” She didn't think she could survive in a world without Josie and the twins.

"I know, Hope. But I also know that at some point both will want more "

"I know," Hope said.

"so? how's the monster hunt going? You're good?" the blonde asked changing the subject, she would give the tribrid time to think things over.

"Did you hear?" Hope sighed

"MG said it almost killed you"

The last monster was a shape-shifter so it could also replicate some abilities of the person it took shape from. So Hope fought a version of herself that was just as strong as she was, needless to say, she was grateful that the monster was unable to replicate magic.

"Who was almost killed?" Josie asked when she entered the room.

Lizzie looked at Hope

"Didn't you tell her?"

"Tell me what?" asked the brunette.

Hope gave her a guilty look.

Ten minutes later Lizzie was leaning back against the bed, wishing she could escape. Luke and Andy were on her lap moving their legs as they watched their mothers argue.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about that!" Josie was enraged.

"Because I knew you would react this way"

"How did you expect me to react when I found out that you almost died, Hope?"

"It was not so bad" Hope tries to downplay it.

"If it wasn't so bad, why didn't you tell me? I could have helped” Josie said.

"I didn’t want you to worry, it is also dangerous"

“It's dangerous for you too, Hope. You could die "

"But I would return as a vampire" She looks at Josie who was about to say something "also if something happens to me the boys will need you" she added quickly.

"So you think I'll be left behind barefoot and in the kitchen raising babies while you go out to fight the monsters?" demanded the increasingly angry brunette.

The image was so ridiculous that it made Lizzie laugh out loud making her sister glare at her.

Josie sighed and took Hope's hand.

"We aren’t like that, we aren’t those people who stand idly by when something bad happens and our children really deserve to know how their mothers are, besides" she smiled shyly "we always make a great team"

Knowing she wasn't going to win, Hope shook her head and relented, pulling Josie closer.

"Fine, but who is going to take care of the boys while we fight the monsters?"

"Lizzie will," she offered her sister with a smile.

The tribrid sighed, resigned.

"Well then I'll keep that in mind next time."

"Great, now that everything is settled" Lizzie said handing the babies to the girls. "Go away because MG will come" She push them out of the room.


	26. Tell you how I'm feeling

Josie left the room quickly, she was in a bit of a hurry, she had left the babies in the care of her father and she knew that the babies could be a big problem when they wanted to.

"Josie!" She hears someone calling her.

The brunette stopped.

"What's up Jade?" She asks the blonde.

Jade was a newly converted vampire with control issues, luckily Alaric had found her before she went in ripper mode all over town.

The blonde looked at Josie nervously. In the past few weeks, her attraction to Josie had increased to such an extent that she was sure she hadn't had any success in hiding her feelings for the witch, but apparently Josie was oblivious to that.

The vampire was about to say something, when Josie's face lit up with joy, and her mouth stretched out into a dazzling smile that made Jade gasp for breath.

"There are my babies!" She almost screamed.

A auburn-haired girl handed her a chubby black-haired baby. The brunette took the baby and kissed him on the neck, making the little boy laugh. She did the same when they exchanged the baby for the other who was holding the auburn girl, and then she brought the girl closer and kissed her on the lips.

"Did you go for them with dad?" Josie asked

"Grandpa needed a break from these little troublemakers" Hope said soothingly as she smiled at Andy. "I also wanted to take you and the babies to lunch"

Love shone in Josie's eyes.

"Josie, won't you introduce us?" Jade asked abruptly, her ego getting hit by the look of surprise on the brunette's face that clearly said she had forgotten she was there.

"I'm sorry, Jade. This is Luke "she indicated with her head to the baby in her arms, and then pointed to the baby in Hope's arms" that's Andy, they’re my children. And she is their other mother and my girlfriend Hope "

The tribrid reached out her hand, her eyes were friendly but cautious and her handshake was firm.

Jade shoved her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

"I didn't know you were a mother, Josie"

"There's a lot you don't know about me" said the brunette.

"That's true" Jade said with little masked regret that immediately made Hope look at her and knew that she had been caught "well, I'll leave you for lunch"

The blonde continued her way down the corridor until she reached the corner and before turning she gave the brunette one last look. She shook her head.

"I guess you can't have them all"

Hope and Josie walked to their room when they were caught up by Lizzie, who tickled her nephew’s feet.

"Hello, wolf and lady wolf" She greets the couple. “and Hello to my miracle babies too”

"Hi, Lizzie" then Josie smiled when Luke began to move in her arms "It seems that someone is hungry, I'll be back in a few minutes" she said entering the room she shared with Hope.

As soon as Josie closed the door, Hope turned to the blonde.

"How is it possible that Jade doesn't know that Josie and I are together?"

Lizzie frowned.

"You want to slow down on your over-reaction train so I can get on board and maybe provide an explanation, mutt?"

Hope ran her free hand over her hair.

"Jade, the new vampire, she didn't know we were together, she didn't even know about the babies" she explained slowly to Lizzie.

“Look, I know how much you love jumping to conclusions” she raised her hand for Hope to hear “Josie didn't mention you or the babies to Jade, because she doesn't mean anything to my sister, not because you don’t. Never doubt that you and my nephews are the most important people in her life, well, besides me of course "

Hope smiled at the blonde.

"Thank you, Lizzie"

"That's what I'm here for, always to save the day." Lizzie smiled.

Josie left the room, holding a giggling Luke.

"I think we’re ready" announced the brunette.

"Perfect" Hope smiled, taking her hand.

"See you Lizzie" both girls said goodbye.

Later that day, Hope laid Andy, who was asleep peacefully in her arms in the crib. She looked at the two sleeping babies for a few moments and then walked over to where her easel was. She looks at the blank canvas, it felt like an eternity since she had been in front of one, she felt lost without knowing how to start.

Her mind repeated all the excuses she used to say.

_What if I made up all those excuses because I was afraid?_

She shook her head. It seemed to her that she made most of the decisions in her life based on fear, the fear that they would leave her, that she would lose them, that they would not love her if she spoke all the truths that she kept inside. The day her Aunt Freya had assured her that everyone was scared sometimes had been the first day she had stopped living in fear of what might happen. She had started doing what seemed right to her, starting with doing the right thing with Josie.

And She had never regretted it. But as she had discovered, the more you have to lose, the greater the fear and this time she was risking her entire world. Was it enough to risk everything she had with Josie for the hope of something that maybe she couldn't get?

She was sure what she wanted. The question was, was she brave enough to take a chance?

That night, as long red lines were reflected in the sky at sunset. She was sitting on the bed, with the babies lying next to her, her eyes staring at the little black box in her hands.

Hope smiled at the babies as she watched them move, her mind set on the mother of her children. The answer to the question she'd been so afraid to ask was simple: she wanted Josie to be her wife. She loved her more than she had ever thought possible to love someone. When did she know exactly? The day Josie told her that she had a crush on her? The day the twins were born?

She wasn't sure, but now she knew. The only thing she didn't know was how Josie felt.

She opened the small box and lifted the ring, inspecting it. It was a platinum band, with a brilliant diamond with a sapphire on each side.

"What do you guys think, should I kneel?"

The babies moved their legs and Hope knelt holding the ring up.

"Josette Lucas Saltzman, I want to spend the rest of my life with you, do you want to marry me?"

The babies made approving noises and Hope laughed anxiously.

"What do you think Mommy is going to say?"

"I think she would want to know why" was the answer behind her and she turned to see Josie standing in the doorway, a shocked look on her face.

Josie walked on shaky legs toward the auburn girl, still not sure she had heard her say what she thought she had said. She had just opened the door when she saw the tribrid on her knees holding a ring, she had frozen while listening to the proposal.

"This is not how I planned it" Hope said trying to calm her own nervousness as she slowly got to her feet.

In her worst days, Josie had thought that moment would never come. That Hope would realize that she wasn’t really what she wanted and she would leave her. In her best days, it was this moment she dreamed of, she imagined Hope taking her in her arms and telling her that she loved her, that she wanted to be with her forever. But the fear of losing all that she had come to depend on in this world, had prevented her from found out what moment the fate had brought her to. Now she was standing in front of Hope and felt like she could get everything she really wanted, but she knew the girl. She knew her better than she thought the tribrid knew. And sometimes Hope did what she thought she should do for the wrong reasons and as much as she loved her, she couldn't allow this to be one of them.

"Hope, are you sure you're asking for the right reasons? Because if this is about the boys…” She hesitated, not knowing exactly what to say, her heart still pounding madly inside her. Josie put her own confused feelings aside and tried to reassure the tribrid "I mean, your name is on their birth certificates, you are their mother and I would never try to take them away from you, if that is what worries you"

"I'm not worried about you taking them, Josie" Hope denied, shaking her head "I'm worried that someone will take you away from me"

"What are you talking about?" asked the confused brunette.

"Josie, I saw how the new girl looked at you today."

"Jade?" she remembered the vague looks the blonde had sent her that had hinted at something else. Josie shook her head dismissively "Hope, Jade is just my classmate, I'm not interested in her"

"I know, Jo" she said seriously. Jade's behaviour only made Hope realize what she had known for a long time "but one day you’ll be, one day you’ll be interested if I give in to my fears and never tell you how I feel"

"Is that why you’re doing this, because you’re afraid?" Josie asked with worried eyes.

"No" she shook her head and smiled "I do this because I'm sure of how I feel"

Josie was more nervous now but still asked the question she had wanted the answer to for months.

"and how do you feel?"

Hope's heart leapt in her chest as she approached Josie and looked into her eyes that were just as scared as hers.

“As if I wanted to tell you everything, because no matter how big or horrible something is, you always do better. You never give an inch and challenge me to do the same. I find strength and hope in you and you are the mother of the twins. What I have with you is more than what I’ve ever had before "

Tears filled Josie's eyes and her legs shook, but she was unable to do anything but stare at the auburn girl.

“But it isn’t enough for me. I want more. I want you to be the mother of all my children, because I can't imagine wanting to be with someone other than you " she takes a deep breath, holding the ring between them “I want to be the love of your life because you’re the love of mine. So, Josette Lucas Saltzman, will you marry me? "

Somehow she should have known, Josie thought, looking at her, no longer hiding her love for the tribrid. She should have known Hope would give her a moment beyond what she could have imagined, because that's what she had been doing since the second she reached a hand to her belly and told her that they were a family now. Tears spilled onto her cheeks and she smiled as she nodded.

"Yes, I’ll marry you"

Josie reached out her trembling hand, grateful to see Hope's hand trembling as well, as she slipped the ring onto her finger. She looks at her hand for a moment before kissing her. Hope raised her hand and caressed Josie's cheek, leaned closer, but the brunette pulled away a bit before their lips touched.

"There's just one more thing," Josie muttered.

"what?"

Josie smiled happily.

"I love you too, Hope"

_I found my epic love, mom_. Hope thought, as she looked at the amazing girl who had just given her everything she had ever wanted.

Their lips met in a soft kiss that promised as much as the ring on Josie's finger.

There was an impatient scream, letting them know that Andy was sick of being ignored. They parted with smiles on their faces. Hope took Andy while Josie took Luke.

"So little wolves, how was it?" Hope asked her children.

Both children smiled at the coppery.

"They seem to approve of it," Josie said.

"They're smart kids" said Hope smiling, knowing that the last time she had been so happy was the day their children were born "I get you as my wife and they get their moms together officially, why can't they like? "

"And what do I get?" Josie asked.

"All my love, always and forever" Hope responded seriously.

"Josie Mikaelson" said the brunette looking at the diamond and sapphire ring that shone illuminating the girl she loved and the children they created together "Sounds good, doesn't it?"

Hope smiled.

"sounds perfect"


	27. The calm before the storm

“you know, I don’t know who enjoys these naps more you or the babies” Josie teased, leaning over the bed to grin down at the most important people in her life. Her fiancée was stretched out, Luke asleep besides her and Andy on her chest, a tiny patch of drool dampening her shirt.

Hope blinked sleepy up at her and gave her a mock indignant look.

“I’ll have you know that this is our mom-sons bonding time”

Josie rolled her eyes, but reached a gentle hand out and covered Andy's head. He grunted in his sleep, burrowing his head into Hope's shirt.  
  
"Anybody home?" Lizzie called, coming in room door.  
Josie stood up, putting a silencing finger to her lips. Lizzie tip-toed over, shaking her head with a smile at the pair of them, Hope now as dead to the world as the boys.

“MG went to see his family and I wanna know if you wanted to hang out with your twin sister?”

“yeah, just let me…”

A series of gurgles and grunts coming from the bed signalled that Luke was awake and becoming irritated that Hope wasn't.

"I'll get him. Where's my miracle baby at?" Lizzie said taking her baby nephew.

Josie heard Luke chattering away, clearly telling his aunt about the hard life he had to endure where his mom's sleeping schedule wasn't an exact match to his. She watched her sister waiting for her with 'her miracle baby' on her hip. She shook her head, a bemused smile on her face.

"They’re going to be so spoiled that they'll never learn to walk because their feet never touch the ground"

His response was to lean back against his aunt and hide his face behind his hands, but Josie laughed as the shy guy routine failed because he peeked around them, a sly smile on his mouth.

Josie grabbed Andy from Hope’s chest, who was already waking up by then.

“let’s go” says the brunette leaving Hope sleep.

Lizzie sat at one of the dining room tables, her downcast face resting on one of her hands. She heard a small sound that made her look down, where Luke was staring at her with his little fingers tucked into his mouth. Realizing she finally got her attention, Luke began to speak in his own baby language and his mouth gave his aunt a smile. Lizzie took the baby and hugged him while kissing the top of his head inhaling the sweet scent of his baby scent.

"I brought you ice cream" Josie handed the container to her sister as she sat down across from her and settled Andy on her lap.

"Thank you" said the blonde

“Come on, Lizzie. Mg will be back in a few days "

The blonde smiled at her sister's attempts to lift her spirit.

"I know, besides the distance is good for any relationship, or at least it's what all the boys who have moved away from me have told me" the blonde tried to joke.

"MG wouldn't leave you, he loves you too much for that" Josie said as she tried to clean the trail of slime that fell from Andy's mouth.

The baby whimpered in protest when Josie directed the napkin to his face, offered him a toy trying to negotiate. Andy took it, leaning his head against her with a long suffering sigh.

Josie rolled her eyes and gestured at her baby.

"He's brooding; can you see it?"

In spite of herself. Lizzie laughed.

Josie glanced toward the dining room entrance, where Hope was walking toward her.

"Speaking of brooding, here comes the girl with the genes that made it possible"

"Hi Jo" Hope greeted giving her a chaste kiss on the lips and a kiss on the forehead to Andy. "Hey little wolves, how have you been behaved?" she reached up to ruffle Luke's hair.

Andy was pleased and began to speak in his baby language.

Josie smiled at her fiancée.

"I'd love to hear how your day is going"

Hope smiled at the memory of Josie's first months of pregnancy that the phrase gave her.

"Well, I think we have a new monster, we still don't know what it is, but there are bugs everywhere" Hope explained.

"I'll help investigate Dorian, so I'll trade you a kiss for a son" said Josie

"A great deal" Hope smiled

Josie smiled and handed the baby to Hope, the tribrid took her son and wrapped her free arm around Josie's waist, pulling her close for a kiss.

The brunette smile after the kiss.

"You are disgusting" said Lizzie "my dear nephews are present, keep it in your pants"

Both girls laughed.

Josie said goodbye to her children and went looking for Dorian.

"Well, when do you have that wedding planned?" Lizzie asked with bright eyes.

Hope gave a big sigh, how would she explain to her sister-in-law that her and Josie's engagement would be long?

Hope handed Lizzie a soda, now they were in the blonde's room watching a movie while the children slept.

“He’ll come back, you know. He only went to see his family "

Lizzie smiled shaking her head.

"My sister already tried that method, only hers included my favourite ice cream"

"I mean it, Lizzie"

"And if you know someone, someone less complicated and without a damaged mind" after beginning her friendship with Hope, it had become easier to be vulnerable in the face of tribrid.

“Lizzie, MG could meet a thousand women, but none of them would be you. Now MG, could it be a little ... "she stopped looking for the correct word" intense "

Lizzie laughed.

"But he loves you, you just have to trust that"

The blonde took a sip from her drink.

"That's a difficult thing to do"

"I know, after everything Josie and I had been through, I was still terrified to admit that I loved her" she smiled at her "but once I did, I wish I had trusted her and myself a long time ago"

“I think you're right, Fido. I’ll trust that my vampire doesn’t want to sink his fangs in someone else"

The girls' talk was interrupted when Josie walked through the door.

"I think something bad happened" said the brunette.


	28. The end

The basement door opened allowing Josie and Hope to pass, both girls looking at each other worried.

"what happened?" Hope asked Alaric, as she looked at Rafael inside a cell being helped by Emma.

"he's fine?" asked Josie

"Lunar psychosis, they found him like that outside, he went out with MG and Landon, but they only found him," Alaric informed the girls. "Where are Andy and Luke?"

"Lizzie is taking care of them," Josie replied.

"Lunar psychosis? This is real?" Hope asked

"Don't talk, there is a lot of noise" Rafael complained before getting up violently.

Emma put a calming spell on him and sat him back on the bed.

"It's real," said Emma. "It's when your mind gets stuck in the middle of the shift, it's very rare, it only happens after a premature reversal"

"So something caused Rafael to revert to his human form early?" Josie asked wanting to know if she was getting it right.

"Yes," Emma affirmed.

"Why is that happening?" Josie asked.

"It's usually a trauma," Hope said in a low voice "something bad happened."

"We don't know" said Emma

"Three left and only one came back," Hope said with concern.

"We’re come back in a few secs" Josie said and took her fiancée’s hand and dragged her out of the room. "Do you want to tell me what caused that broody face that Andy inherited from you or should I guess?"

"He isn’t broody" Hope protested "He smiles"

"Please Hope, that child is just like you" Josie leaned closer and put a hand on the tribrid’s face "and just in case I have to say, this isn’t your fault"

"MG invited me to go with them, if I had accepted I would have stopped whatever happened and ..."

The brunette's thumb went to her lips, stopping her words.

"Maybe" she admitted "maybe if you try hard enough, you can stop the dawn or pollution, that's big one, or how about world war?"

"I understand, you made your point, how do you do that?" Josie looked at her confused "how do you make me feel better with just a few words?"

Josie smiled.

"It's simple, I'm amazing" she said with feigned seriousness.

Hope laughed as she pulled the girl closer and kissed her cheek.

"Come on, let's find our friends"

After an arduous search, they found the boys, MG with a wolf bite and Landon dead. There is nothing they could do to save the curly haired boy.

When Josie returned to the room, she found Hope sitting on the edge of the bed staring at the twins' crib. Since they had found Landon's body, the tribrid had not said a word, Josie was worried about her.

"Hey" greeted the brunette.

Hope looked up, to find Josie standing in the doorway. There were a million things she wanted to say to her, but she didn't know how.

"And the twins?" Hope asked.

"Dad is taking care of them" Josie replied "Lizzie is with MG, tomorrow she’ll meet us at the funeral"

The tribrid nodded.

Josie walked over to Hope and knelt in front of her, looking into her eyes.

"how I can help?"

The tribrid hugged her, causing Josie to freeze for a few seconds before hugging her back. She closed her eyes, glad that Hope let her in.

"He was the first boy I loved" she said in a low voice and with a serious expression "I don't mean that I loved him more than I love you, I just ..."

"Hope" interrupted the brunette, caressing her cheek trying to calm her down "you have a bigger heart than everyone I’ve ever met, there is enough space for everyone you care about. I know that the boys and I have your love, I don’t doubt it. Landon was your first love; you would always worry about him "

"I can't believe he's gone" She murmur "It doesn't feel real that he's gone"

Josie sat next to her, wanting to know the words to ease her pain.

"Do you think you can sleep?" asked Josie

Hope nodded

"I just want to hold you in my arms and try not to think about tomorrow and that I'm going to bury someone else I once loved"

"Okay," Josie said, pressing her lips to Hope's cheek, "then we'll do that."

"ready?" asked Josie

Hope nodded, taking Josie’s hand. They got into the car, Hope gazing out the window as Josie drove into the cemetery with her left hand on the wheel and her right hand held tightly by the tribrid's hand.

Hope was silent throughout the service, she felt disconnected from everything, the only thing that anchored her was the gentle touch of Josie's hand on hers.

Once the funeral was over, she stood by the grave, looking at the coffin that had been lowered to the ground.

Josie walked over to the girl and opened her arms, Hope gratefully accepted the hug.

“With all that I can do, it wasn’t enough. Why couldn't I save him? "

“No one has the power to save them all, Hope. And I know that if you could you would have done it "

The strength that Josie gave her continually amazed her, she was her salvation, her safe place. She raises her hand where her engagement ring was and kiss it.

“I don't know what my life would be without you and the boys, I love you so much. You’re my world” She confesses.

“We love you too, Hope. Always and Forever"

They heard cries of discontent and turned to see Andy squirming in Alaric's arms. Josie smiled.

"I'd better go find him, before Luke gets upset too" she indicated to the copper boy in Dorian's arms.

Hope nodded, watching as Josie walked away and scooped Andy up in her arms. The smile on her lips faded as the hair on the back of her neck stood up and her stomach clenched, warning her that something was wrong.

She turned around and looked at the eyed man standing next to her.

"Now you know what would have happened, girl"

And like a nightmare come true, the memories of the afterlife hit her.

_"Landon made the decision to go with MG"_

_"He didn’t choose to die Josie and what do you know about decisions when you let Lizzie make them all for you"_

_"I can help you know what would happen, I can see everything, what happened, what will happen and could have happened, give you an answer to your question"_

"It's time to go back" said Argos

Hope's desperate gaze went to Josie, needing to see her. She was standing next to Dorian and Alaric, Andy in her arms, as she played with Luke's hand, her engagement ring flickering in the sunlight. She smiled at her with that sweet, slow smile that was only for her.

"No" said Hope, feeling the tears burn down her cheeks, as she pleaded "no please, you have to let me stay. They’re my family, this is where I belong”

"You can't stay, girl, this is just an illusion" Argos said before a strong light swallowed them.

"Nooo!" Hope yelled when she found herself at the old mill "no, this isn't real"

The man just looked at her.

"Where are Josie and the boys?" she demanded to the man, her eyes turning gold "where are my children?"

“They don't exist here. They never have, they’re gone "

Hope glared at him before her hand turned into a claw and sliced through the monster's throat, who turned to ash in front of her.

"I don't believe you" she said, she couldn't believe that everything she had, everything she needed, was gone.

She walks towards the school, ignoring Kaleb and MG's questions when She enter by the kitchen. She doesn't stop walking until she gets to her bedroom. The crib was gone. Her eyes roamed the room for any sign of Josie's things or the babies.

"Come on little wolves, your mom needs help here"

She opened the closet door, ripped out the dresser drawers, she needed to find something, anything that would prove they were real, that they were part of her life.

Mg, who had followed Hope, met Lizzie in the hallway, both of them anxious about the noise coming from the tribrid room. They cautiously approached the door to find Hope sitting on the edge of the bed. It looked like she had completely trashed her room. Clothes, books and painting supplies were scattered everywhere, the sheets had been ripped from the bed and everything had been emptied from the dresser and desk. Her head was lowered and her body shook with every breath she took.

Lizzie reached over and reached out to touch her shoulder.

"Hope?"

The tribrid looked at her, tears were streaming down her face and an anguished look in her eyes.

"they left. Everything is gone "

**The End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just kidding. What kind of ending would that be? I'm not that cruel.  
> Feel free to let me know what are you thinking in a comment. ;)


	29. It doesn't feel real

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This gonna be sad

It was the habit that woke her up. She knew it was early without looking at her watch, because Luke would be awake in a few minutes, demanding to be fed and waking up his brother in the process. She buried her face further into the pillow.

"Jo, it's almost time for Luke's breakfast."

When she didn't hear any response, she thought that the brunette must be really asleep or more dedicated to pretending that she was. She shook her head and struggled to stand up.

"Okay, sleepyhead, I'll bring him"

She turned, the smile slipping slowly from her mouth as she stared at the empty bed. Her chest clenched as her gaze drifted to the empty space where a crib should be. She sighs, knowing that she should go back to sleep and try to forget everything once more time. But she couldn't.

Unable to return to the cold, lonely bed, she left the room and headed into the forest. Her clothes thrown away while she shifts into her wolf.

When the sun rise hours later, golden rays shone on the naked girl sitting in the middle of the meadow, the most powerful being in the world crying uncontrollably.

Alaric watched the familiar scenery from the kitchen window, sipping coffee from his mug. Thinking of Hope, he was worried about how Landon's death might affect the girl.

He heard how the door opened, showing the girl that he cared so much.

"Good morning" the tribrid's expression was haggard and her eyes sad.

"Good morning," he said to the tribrid in a deliberately cheerful voice, hoping that something would seep into the auburn girl and bring her out of her listless mood. "are you hungry? We can have breakfast before training "

"No" she said without stopping on her way to her room "I'm not hungry, I'll change for training"

Alaric watched as her small body disappeared from view. He could still see Hope's expression when she looked at Landon's lifeless body. After the boy's funeral, Hope had become angry, uncommunicative, and sad-eyed.

He looks at his mug thoughtfully. He knew that Hope had loved Landon, but he couldn't help but think that there was something else the girl wasn't telling him.

An hour later, Alaric and Hope had finished training, the auburn girl was gathering her things and was about to leave when Alaric stopped her.

"you're good?" asked the director.

"I'm fine"

"Hope, I know you loved Landon and at first I thought this was all about him, but there is something else isn't there?"

Hope frowned, debating whether to tell Alaric the truth or not.

“You won't believe it. I can hardly believe it myself "

“I’m the director of a school for supernatural beings, Hope. I don't think you can say something that surprises me "he smiled" try me "

Hope told him everything, her encounter with Argos and the alternate world where she lived, the life she had had with Josie and finally her children, Andy and Luke.

Alaric could only listen, trying to control the tears that threatened to leak out, as he tried to understand the enormity of what Hope had lost.

"And then" she finished in a low voice "everything was gone"

"Hope" began, but words failed him.

"You loved them so much," Hope said with tears shining in her eyes. "You were always happy to spend time with them, you loved carrying them around when you did your tours around the school, you took care of them when Josie and I had classes"

His heart ached for Hope and the children he had never held.

“You know, my father once told me that the greatest fear of all parents is losing their children forever. But this is worse, because no one else remembers them. No one can cry with me. I can't even go to their mother and hold her while I try to convince myself that one day this pain in my heart will disappear, because here we aren’t in love” she let out a bitter laugh.

Unable to stay in front of Alaric any longer, Hope turned, wanting to go.

“You may not believe it now, but things will get better. I know this has to be incredibly difficult for you, Hope. You still have this life; you have people who love you "

“Alaric, I know you want to help, but the life without my kids…” she shook her head “doesn't feel real. It is as if this is the dream and at any moment, I will wake up and be at home, with them. But I never wake up”

"Oh Hope" the man hugged her. The tribrid let out a great sigh, as she momentarily shared her burden. then she took a step back.

"I don't know what will happen now," she said helplessly.

"You'll figure it out, just follow your heart and you'll be fine," Alaric said to her.


	30. Begin again

Hope walked from one side to the other fixing everything in case the night went as expected. She sat down on the small couch where she had been sleeping. It was easier for her to sleep there than in her own bed, which always felt empty.

“You can do this, Hope” she tried to cheer herself up “besides, it's too late for you to regret it”

Nor had she slept more than a few hours a night since the day Argos had brought her back, but she knew that wasn’t the cause of the familiar exhaustion that gripped her. They were the memories of her previous life that came most strongly in her dreams. Sometimes she thought that trying to forget was her only hope to get away from the memories that haunted her. Other times, especially at night, she thought about looking for a way to return to her previous life, even though it had only existed in her mind, it was what she longed for.

_"He didn’t choose to die Josie and what do you know about decisions when you let Lizzie make them all for you"_

_"I didn’t want to say that"_

_"Okay Hope, I know exactly what you wanted to say and you're right I better go"_

She wished she could get rid of the memory of Josie walking away from her, her eyes red near tears, and that memory haunted her as much as the others, because it was the last they shared. She couldn't bear the thought that she had hurt her with her carelessness.

she hears a knock on the door. She’s on time, she thought with a shadow of a smile. Some things never changed, no matter what universe it was. The smile disappeared as she remembered how different things were from how she wanted them. She stopped and went to open it.

Josie stood in front of her door with a challenging look in her eyes.

"Hi, Hope. I'm here, you can stop sending me notes or text messages now” she said dryly.

_Well, She’s still angry_

"Well, I thought you wouldn't talk to me unless I gave you a reason to," Hope confessed.

Hope stepped aside to let her pass, Josie walked in with her arms crossed defensively.

"What was so important that after ignoring me, you decided to call me?"

To anyone else, the brunette might have seemed simply irritated, that temper she kept hidden from the world, but now starting by the fact that the tribrid had inundated her phone and room with calls and notes until she answered, but Hope wasn’t anyone. She was the woman who loved her, who knew everything about her, down to the way her shoulders tense when something bothers her and she doesn't want anyone to know. Exactly how tense they are right now.

It took everything she had to avoid pulling her close and holding her until all the pain they were both feeling faded away. She tries to think how she would have apologized earlier, but it felt like a lifetime had passed since then. And standing there with the familiar scent of her perfume reminding her of what she had lost, she knew she couldn't just go back to that time when they had exchanged pointless conversations, pretending not to see how each other felt under the surface.

Hoping not to scare her, the tribrid took a step forward.

“I'm sorry I hurt you, Josie. I was angry and took it out on the only person who tried to help me, I didn't mean what I said” Hope said sincerely.

Josie looked into Hope's blue eyes and felt the tension leave her shoulders. She would never admit it, but she hated fighting with the tribrid.

"Okay, Hope. I understand that you were in a difficult moment "

Hope nodded, relieved that Josie had so easily forgiven her.

Not wanting to put too much stress on the little truce they'd made, Josie glanced toward the door.

"Then, I suppose I should leave you ..."

Hope quickly got in her way.

"why? Why don't you stay a while? We could watch a movie and talk”

"talk?" the brunette repeated incredulously.

“I know you know what it's like to talk, Josie. That's what happens when you open your mouth and sound comes out”, the auburn girl tried to joke.

"Very funny," Josie said with a frown. There was something… different about Hope. Her grief hadn't left her and in a way, it almost seemed worse than the day of the funeral. Usually, when one of them got hurt, it was a signal for the other to give it space. An unspoken rule that she had violated that day, but unlike then, the tribrid now seemed eager for her company. And she admitted to herself, hesitating between the need to leave and the desire to stay, that she had missed her. But in the end, it was the sadness that, despite her jokes, persisted in her eyes, that decided for her. "Okay, I'll stay"

Smiling, Hope gestured toward the couch, they sat down and Hope moved her computer closer, playing any movie.

The tribrid handed her a can of soda with a smile that turned bittersweet when her eyes fell on the brunette's bare ring finger. In another world, tonight would have been otherwise. But she was forcefully reminded that Josie was here with her now and that was the important thing.

All her worries forgotten as she looked at the brunette.

"and how have you been?"

Josie frowned and took her eyes off the movie.

"what do you mean?"

"That, how have you been?"

Josie smiled.

"The lonely wolf, Hope Mikaelson, does she care about me?" joked the brunette.

"I always care about you, Josie" Hope said seriously "I care about you more than you think"

Josie blinked, unable to think of anything to say to that. Struggling with her own emotions, she nodded toward the movie playing in front of them.

"We’re going to missed it"

_No, they wouldn't_ , Hope thought. She wouldn't let them, not this time.

Turning her attention back to the movie, Hope reached over the back of the small couch, so used to watching movies with Josie this way that she didn't realize what she'd done.

Josie squinted at her, wondering what she was doing. When the tribrid simply continued watching the movie, she mentally shrugged, focusing on the movie.

The brunette settled herself more firmly against the tribrid, not realizing that she had moved closer while they were watching the movie. Hope's hand automatically curved around her shoulder as she gasped at the familiar sensation of having the brunette's body against hers. She said nothing, fearing that she would move if Josie will do. Little by little they both relaxed completely for the first time since the day of the funeral and fell asleep.

Josie woke up later and looked at the shutdown computer in front of her. Blinking sleepily, it took her a few moments to realize. Her head was on Hope's neck, her arm around her shoulder, securing her against her.

“Hey, Hope, wake up. we fell asleep watching the movie "

"Where are the boys?" Hope asked more asleep than awake.

Josie looked at her confused.

"What boys?"

The peace Hope had felt upon waking up with Josie in her arms faded. She dropped her arm and stood up, needing to get away from her before doing something as silly as begging her to remember a life she hadn't lived.

"I guess I was dreaming"

Josie could practically see the tension radiating from Hope.

"it's getting late"

Josie sighed and stood up.

"I guess that's my signal to go"

"Jo ... Josie I didn't mean that"

The brunette smiled understandingly at her.

"Okay, Hope"

Josie was almost outside the door when she heard Hope's voice.

"I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" she asks somewhat nervous. She knew that wasn't how their friendship had gone before, but tonight she had taught her that she couldn't just walk away from Josie completely. She needed her too much. She needed some part of each day of her life to include her.

Josie looked at her thoughtfully.

"Okay, who knows? Maybe this time I will answer "

Hope tried to smile at her joke, but when the door closed, she looked around the empty room and sighed, waved off the lights and lay down on the couch. She turned her head towards the cushion and the smell of Josie's perfume filled her nose. Her eyes snapped open and she stared into the darkness for a long time, breathing deeply and once again wishing the impossible.

Lizzie was on her way to her room when she passed Hope almost running down the hall, it was the first time she had seen her outside her room since the funeral.

The blonde continued on her way to her room where she met her twin with a stunned look on her face.

"What happens?" Lizzie asked.

"Hope just kissed me" the brunette released.

"What!?

"Yeah, we were talking and she was about to leave and then she just… kissed me." She frowned thoughtfully.

"What kind of kiss was it?" the blonde asked curiously even without completely believing what her sister was saying.

“It wasn't an intense and passionate kiss, you know. It was…” Josie shrugged with a shy smile on her face “sweet, like we were a couple or something”

Lizzie shook her head, not understanding what could have caused Hope to do something like that.

"I've heard she has been acting weird since the Hobbit died"

"Lizzie! His name was Landon” Josie scolded

"I didn't care before, I don’t care now, sister" she shrugged "but I knew that wolfie would take his death pretty hard, but still ... if you want, I can go with her and you know, move her fleas a little to leave you alone"

"No thanks Lizzie, I'll be fine"

"Ok, I'll go with MG, see you later"

"goodbye"

Josie found herself going over what had happened with Hope earlier.

_"Thanks for the coffee" Josie said taking a sip of the drink "but, you know, I could go to the kitchen and do it myself”_

_Hope shrugged, looking a bit embarrassed._

_“Well, I was coming from there, anyway. It isn’t a big deal"_

_There was something vulnerable in her expression that made Josie give up arguing with the tribrid._

_"Fine, then thanks"_

_She couldn't explain it, but since the movie night, Hope had become more attentive than ever. She called her every day and usually found a reason to stop by her room at night before going to sleep. Their conversations were easy and friendly, just everyday things, but she found herself looking forward to them._

_"Well, I better get going, Jo. I have homework to do” Before she knew what she was going to do, she leaned down and kissed her. Too stunned to move, Josie closed her eyes as Hope's lips moved over hers. The tribrid drew back abruptly, a shocked expression on her face._

_"I have to go" she muttered before leaving._

Josie realized her fingers were brushing her lips and quickly dropped her hand, her cheeks getting hot. What she didn't dare say to her sister was that if Hope hadn't stopped when she did, she didn't think she could have avoided kissing her back.

Hope heard someone knock on the door, so she opened it, she didn't expect to meet Lizzie Saltzman on the other side, who without waiting for an invitation entered the room as if she owned the place.

"Josie told me what happened," she said without preamble.

"It's not what you're thinking"

"What am I thinking, Fido?" she asked keeping her voice neutral.

“That I'm using Josie as a way to get over Landon, but it's not that, I swear, Lizzie. I wouldn't hurt her like that” her expression was serious, but the blonde was still not convinced, she couldn't let her sister go through another disappointment like Penelope's.

"Look fleas, I know you loved the garden gnome more than you've ever loved anyone." Hope looked at the floor, as if her words caused her pain, but she continued. She was afraid that if She didn't continue Josie could get hurt "and I almost didn't talk to him, but I'm sure that he didn't want you to be like this"

"It isn’t about Landon"

"What’s this about, then?"

Hope took a deep breath and decided to tell her the truth.

"On the day of Landon's funeral, a monster from Malivore found me, his name was Argos, he was able to show you other possible results of the decisions you have made"

Lizzie frowned, not understanding what that monster had to do with all this.

"Ok, but I still don't understand what this has to do with your not so unusual reclusion and kissing my sister?"

Hope sighed, feeling exhausted as she tried once more to explain the pain from the wound that was still bleeding.

“That day I felt so angry and so guilty. I thought it was my fault that Landon died. All I could think of is that if we weren't together anymore he would still live, it was the only question that ran through my mind, if he weren’t with me, would he still live? so Argos showed it to me "

Lizzie's mouth fell open in surprise.

"It worked, he showed you, is that why you've been acting weirder than normal?"

Hope looked at her smiling sadly

"It wasn't your fault, you know that right?" but she couldn't hide the uncertainty in her voice, because if she hadn't been, why was she acting this way?

"It wasn't my fault," She confirms.

Sadness still haunted her eyes.

"So what is it?" Lizzie asked.

Hope walked over to the couch and sat, staring at her hands, imagining another moment and another person.

"To change how things had happened and let Landon go, only one thing had to be different" She takes a deep breath "what was different is that I didn’t get electrocuted in the kitchen"

Lizzie frowned.

"What does that have to do with anything…"

Hope interrupted her.

“Josie and I were in the kitchen and things were getting quite… intense when we electrocuted ourselves with the switch on the wall next to the oven, making the slugs come out of our system, when we killed them I went to save the day as you always say, but if we had never been electrocuted, nothing would have stopped us "

Lizzie was silent for a moment.

"Wow, so you and my sister?"

Hope nodded.

"So what was different ..."

"Josie got pregnant"

Silence filled the room.

"how?"

"I don't know" she stood up abruptly and turned her back on her, shoulders hunched in defeat. When she spoke the tears clouded her voice “They were perfect, Lizzie. They had our mothers' eyes and Josie's smile and mine. They were such sweet babies, but Luke had your sister's temperament, and I could swear Andy had yours when he got mad "

Lizzie could only stare at her in amazement, unable to say anything.

Hope laughed caught up in the sweet memories.

“Other babies slept with lullabies, ours listened to Jazz and Broadway musicals. Josie sang for them and danced with them in her arms all over the room "

She looked at her with glassy eyes.

“You were great with them Lizzie and you spoiled them up every time you got the chance. you called them your miracle babies, because of their miraculous conception and the problems that Josie had in her pregnancy "

"I used to sleep with one of them on my chest and the other next to me, I would tell Josie that it was our bonding time and sometimes when I wake up" her hand went to her chest, looking for a soft weight that would never be there "I think that I can still feel them and then I realize they aren’t there "

She closed her eyes and forced herself to finish.

“I fell in love with Josie. Deeper and completely than I ever thought possible. We were engaged and she lived with me here. I was happier than I ever imagined I could be. The last time I saw my family” Lizzie inhaled hard and stared at her with tear-filled eyes “I was at Landon's funeral, he still went with MG, he died and I couldn't help him”

“Josie told me it wasn't my fault. That, if it had been in my power, I would have saved him. Which is exactly what she told me after the funeral before all of this happened. But I didn't believe her then. Now I do. Then I turned around and there was Argos” her laugh was bitter “I didn't even remember it until then, it was so real. It was real"

"The last thing I saw was Josie holding Andy, playing with Luke's hand, my ring on her finger and when I tried to reach them, they were gone" she raised her head, to see Lizzie with her face in her hands and she turned to watch the vibrant sunset at her window fade into a mediocre night. “So tell me, Lizzie. What do I do now? Where do I go from here? "

The silence in the room was deafening.


	31. What the heart wants

Josie frowned at the screen, she really didn't enjoy horror movies. She got up from her bed and turned to the blonde lying next to her.

"I'll go to the kitchen; do you want something?"

"No, I'm fine" Lizzie gave her a tight smile that faded as soon as her sister turned around. She frowned as she watched her sister leave. Since the night Hope told her what happened, she spent a lot of time trying to imagine the life that the tribrid had lived. A life that not only Hope and Josie were happy, but that she had been too.

She shook her head, dismissing her sudden melancholy. It was ridiculous, she thought sceptically. Josie a mother? And not just any mother, but the mother of Hope's babies? It was crazy. Then there was the idea of Hope and Josie being together. She couldn't imagine it. Or maybe she didn't want to, a voice whispered in her mind.

Her eyes fell on the photo on the nightstand next to her. It was a photo of them on a trip to Paris. Her fingers reached out and she touched their smiling faces, wishing that she and Josie had the closeness they had shared in Hope's dream, not that now they weren't close enough, they were twins, for God’s sake, they shared everything. But she was very aware that for some time there were walls that separated them. Walls, she admitted to herself, had put it first without realizing it.

She glanced toward the open door. Then She watch Hope pass by.

"Hey, Hope" she got out of bed and walked to the door.

"Hey" greeted the tribrid. Her face was haggard and she looked tired.

"Haven't you had any luck sleeping yet?"

Hope shook her head. Every time she closed her eyes, she dreamed of Josie and the children and waking up without them became more and more difficult.

"I miss my children"

Lizzie closed her eyes at her simple, painful statement.

"I know" She mutters.

"Hope, are you sure it was real?" the words came out before she could register them but she didn't withdraw them. The truth is that she desperately wanted to convince her that it had not been so. Not only because of the tribrid, but also because of her, she didn't want to think that there was a life out there where she had been happier than she is now. "I mean; how do we know that his powers weren't really illusions of what you really want instead of showing you alternate lives?"

"Are you saying that what I wanted then was to fall in love with Josie?" she asked with a wry smile. Lizzie shrugged in silent defeat. “It was real, Lizzie. I know it in my heart "

Lizzie met her eyes at the quiet conviction she heard in her voice. Now Hope was different. She couldn't exactly place it, but she knew it was that other life that had caused it. The blonde nodded not knowing what else to say, so she changed the subject "so how is your life with Maya?"

Maya was the new wolf girl and now her roommate, the girl was nice but she had no filter when saying things, she had great problems obeying authority and she had no qualms about flirting with her or annoying her.

Hope shook her head.

“Frustrating, everything I say disputes it. But I think she has finally managed to give herself an opportunity to enjoy school "

"Well, Fido, this has to be difficult for her," Lizzie pointed out. "Everything she knew or thought she knew about herself is gone or changed and she has to adapt to a whole new world."

"Is that empathy? Who are you and what have you done with Lizzie Saltzman? " she tries to joke

The blonde rolled her eyes.

“I can be empathetic, fleas. to something the years in therapy have to serve, I know a thing or two about mental health "

Hope sighed.

“I try to be patient with Maya” then Hope looked at her with a hopeful expression on her face “I thought maybe you and Josie could come to my room tomorrow night and watch a movie so Maya would feel more comfortable with socializing with others"

"Hope, are you sure seeing my sister right now is a good idea?" she asked with a frown. And speaking of Josie, she thought with her gaze fixed on the hallway, she would be back soon and Lizzie didn't know if Hope's reunion with Josie at that moment would help things. So she closed the door to her room and lead Hope out of her room.

"I'll have to see her sooner or later, we live in the same school and we have classes together" she said and then she felt Lizzie's hand pushing her forward to start walking "Lizzie, are you trying to get rid of me?"

"No, why would I want to do that?" her laugh was sharp and forced.

Hope smiled, but vanished when she looked at Josie standing there with her arms full of junk food.

"Hey"

"Hi" the brunette answered breathlessly, then her eyes went from her to Lizzie "Did I interrupt a private conversation?"

"No, no," Hope stuttered, feeling her heart race. Despite her words moments before with Lizzie, she found she had no idea what to say. And looking at the brunette now, all she could remember was feeling her lips against hers when she had kissed her. The tribrid looked away.

"I have to go"

Josie stood there for a moment, biting her lip, undecided. Then, before she knew what she was doing, she handed the food to Lizzie and walked over to Hope.

"wait!"

She ran past her sister without looking at her. Hope looked up in surprise.

"I want to invite MG to join Lizzie and me," she explained, pointing the way in front of them that led to the boys' wing.

Hope nodded and her gaze returned to the ground.

Josie sighed, knowing that if she left it to Hope, it would be another 3 weeks before she got over the awkwardness between them. So the brunette steeled herself and stopped the auburn girl.

"Hope, you can't avoid me forever."

She turned to her with a serious expression.

"I know and I'm sorry, Josie"

"For kissing me or avoiding me?" the brunette couldn't help asking.

"For avoiding you" replied the tribrid without thinking. Josie's eyes shot up to her and Hope stuttered "and ... and for the kiss"

"So why did you kiss me?" Josie asked, taking a step closer to the wolf. She held her breath as she waited for the answer.

Hope shook her head helplessly as she stared at her, unable to tell the truth, but unwilling to lie. So She changes the subject.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around since then"

"I missed you," Josie admitted quietly, looking at her hands shyly.

Hope's eyes met the lovely pout and she felt warmth fill the void inside her.

"Do you want to come to my room tomorrow night to see a movie? You and Lizzie? I want to introduce you to my new roommate, Maya and maybe we can talk”

Josie bit her lip, feeling absurdly pleased with the invitation.

"of course, I would love to"

Hope smiled and they continued walking in silence.

"Hey, are you sure you're okay?" Maya asked looking at her roommate fixing the room at full speed.

"Yes I am"

Maya rolled her eyes.

"I don't see why so much trouble, we'll only see a movie, right?"

"what? Yeah, it's just a movie” Hope answered absently.

Maya crossed her arms and guessed cleverly.

"This sudden need to impress, it won't be because of a certain brunette twin, right?"

Hope looked at her as if she had been caught.

"The wolves speak and you aren’t as subtle as you think, tribrid" Maya said.

"I just want it to be perfect"

"I get it, but from what I've heard from your girl, she won't care if it's perfect, she'll only care that you did it, so relax a bit."

Hope smiled at her.

"Thank you, Maya"

The girl smiled warmly at her.

"anytime. Now, if our mission is to impress, I better do my part” she walked around the room helping Hope clean up until everything was settled. “Now I think I'll go for a walk before the girls arrive”

"Just make sure you come back in 15 minutes," Hope warned.

Maya left before the auburn girl could say anything else. Hope shook her head, arranging the space where they would sit and watch the movie, thinking of Josie. Since yesterday, the brunette is everything she could think of. Not that this was surprising, she admitted to herself with a smile, Josie was always in her thoughts.

"Everything looks great," said a voice behind her.

"Josie" she said as she turned around dropping some napkins in the process.

Both girls bent down to pick them up off the floor, Josie handed them over to Hope taking her hand in the process stroking the palm with her fingers. When the brunette realized what she was doing she was going to let go of the tribrid's hand, but Hope spoke.

"Don't stop," Hope whispered taking a step closer to Josie.

Josie's fingers took on a life of their own, gently tracing the tribrid's palm, her heart pounding faster as she felt Hope's soft hand under her fingertips. The tribrid approached and Josie let her eyes close, waiting to feel her kiss.

"It seems that there is something hot here and this time it isn’t me" said Maya entering the room.

Both girls jumped apart, red fogging their cheeks.

Hope shot her a look, telling her to behave.

"Josie this is my roommate, Maya Machado, Maya this is Josie Saltzman"

Josie pulled away from Hope and smiled at the other girl.

"I hope you are adjusting well to school"

"I was better before, but I can't complain now" Maya smiled looking at the girl Hope cared so much about. She couldn't deny that Hope had good taste, the girl in front of her was beautiful and she had a warm smile that made you feel welcome. "Hope has talked lot about you, it's good to finally have a face to put on with the stories, although it clearly didn't do you much justice, you're beautiful Josie"

Josie blushed at the comment and turned to Hope who was staring at the ground, clearly embarrassed by what Maya said.

The door opened again, showing Lizzie.

"Well, what are we going to see?" the blonde asked, she stopped a bit when she looked at everyone standing idly by. The girl who thought it was Maya was smiling, Josie was looking at Hope, who was looking at the ground as if she expected it to swallow her at that moment. "what did I miss?"

Maya looked at the girl who apparently had stolen the heart of her roommate, she wasn’t stranger to the tragic story of the auburn girl, who she already considered a friend, she hadn’t lied when she said that wolves speak. But now in front of her eyes she saw how Hope was laughing at Josie's joke, she had never seen her so lightly since she met her. With a smile of her own, she decided that from now on she likes Josie Saltzman.

Seeing how Hope was around her, she was proving that Josie was just what the tribrid needed.

Maya watched as both girls got up, explaining that they would go for more snacks. The brunette just nodded.

Lizzie came out of the bathroom and only found the new wolf girl.

"where…?"

"Outside, officially for snacks, unofficially I hope that making out, I can only bear so much sexual tension up to a point," Maya said without taking her eyes off the film.

" I hope so"

Lizzie just smiled and sat down next to the brunette.

Outside, Hope was walking nervously beside Josie. There was a time, not long ago, when touching her had been as natural as breathing and now she was as close, as she had dreamed of, but now she didn't know what to do.

They made their way into the kitchen in silence and Josie leaned against the island, sighing in satisfaction, even with the discomfort in the air.

Hope watched as Josie's hand came down and stroked her belly, her mind racing back to another time.

_"Hope"_

_"what?"_

_"I think the babies just moved." She smiled widely when she felt the slight movement once more. She took the other girl's hand and placed it on her belly. "Do you feel that?"_

_Hope shook her head._

_"No, nothing"_

_Josie saw her disappointment and tried to comfort her._

_"Aunt Elena said it would take a while to feel the movements of the babies, maybe they are not big enough yet"_

_"Maybe" she agreed, until an idea came to her mind "get up"._

_Josie frowned, but did as the other girl asked. Hope pulled her to her, placing her ear against the brunette's belly. She closed her eyes and concentrated, shutting off everything else. First, she sensed the rapid heartbeat of the babies and then, there are, like a small earthquake, she heard the movements._

_"There they are"_

_She couldn't help the proud smile that spread across her face when she looked at Josie, who was beaming. The tribrid rise and hugged Josie spinning her around._

_"The babies moved"_

_Josie laughed._

_"I know, Hope. I felt it"_

"Hope?" Josie's voice brought her back to the present "where were you?"

“In a nice place. But here it's nice too” She saw the look of surprise on the brunette's face and smiled.

Josie smiled at her in return, trying not to take too much meaning in her words.

"Maya looks nice" changed to a more neutral theme.

"Yeah, she's quite nice when she wants to" Hope smiled "so what's happened to you lately?"

"Well, you're seeing a new representative of the witches on the honour council," Josie said sheepishly.

"Wow, that's amazing Jo" she was really proud of the brunette.

"Yeah, I hadn't applied, but Penelope, she moved all the witches just to screw Lizzie, who inexplicably took it too well," Josie said thoughtfully.

Hope guessed that Lizzie hadn't said anything to her sister because she was too busy processing what she had tell her.

An idea occurred to her and before she could flinch she spoke.

"I think we should celebrate"

Josie frowned.

"celebrate?"

"Yes, not every day you become a representative of a faction on the honour council, I'm proud of you, Josie"

"really?" She asks sounding vulnerable

"Really" Hope took a chance and leaned over to place a kiss on her cheek, enjoying the action for a moment.

They returned to the room with a smile and movie night passed quickly and Hope accompanied the brunette and her sister to their room.

"What time should I pick you up the saturday?" the auburn girl asked before Josie entered her room.

"for what?" Josie asked confused.

"To celebrate because you’re in the council of honour"

"Hope ..."

"Josie, I want to do this for you." She watched her bite her lip and knew she had it.

"okay" she relented, even as she told herself she was crazy for accepting this. "At two, it’s okay?"

"It's perfect" Hope smiled

Lizzie, who had entertained a bit on the way with a witch, approached the tribrid.

"Are you sure about this, wolfie?"

Hope didn't answer her right away. She hadn't thought of anything but Josie and the boys since she'd come back, and as much as it broke her heart, she knew she couldn't have the life she once had. Things had gone a different way and she couldn't change that.

She squares her shoulders and look at the blonde.

"I want my life back"

Lizzie looked at her in alarm.

"What do you mean you want to get your life back? You can't go back”

"No, I can't" she said firmly "I can't change the past, I can only move on"

Finally, she knew what her heart wanted. Maybe she had known it all along and was tired of fighting it. Now she would fight for it.

"The truth is that I want what I had before, I want a life where I wake up next to Josie every morning and where I have my family once again"

Lizzie stared at her wordlessly.

"Do you realize that maybe my sister doesn't feel the same?"

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure" said Maya's voice behind her "since Hope kissed her, she's been calling her every night and Josie doesn't look like the type of person who would let you do that if she didn't feel something in return"

"What are you doing here?" Hope asked to her roommate.

"Lucy texted me, Jed and Alyssa had an argument, that means we shouldn't be here when the curfew starts," Maya said before continuing on her way.

Alyssa was the one who checked the hallways after curfew, if she found you it was automatic detention, triple when she was angry, like right now.

"where are you going then?" Hope asked when she noticed she wasn't going to their room.

"With Lucy" she says as if it were obvious and kept walking.

Lizzie returned her attention to Hope.

"So you talk to my sister every night?"

"Not every night"

"Hope, if you tell her all about the alternate worlds ..."

“I love her Lizzie and I know her. She is different here, I get it. I’m different too. But I don't want to live without the love we had. So if I have to start all over again, that's fine, because it's worth it. Being with Josie is worth everything "

The tribrid gave her a big smile.

"So I have an ally?"

"Okay, but if you hurt her, you're dead, mutt" Lizzie threatened.

Hope smiled and said goodbye.

Lizzie just hoped she was doing the right thing.


	32. Find My Way Back

Josie paced up and down her room, unable to shake off the nervousness that was eating her up as the time for Hope to pick her up approached. She was a little grateful that Lizzie wasn't there to watch her collapse.

As much as she had downplayed it in front of Lizzie when she told her about her plans for today over breakfast, she couldn't deny how excited she was. Hope was the first person to suggest celebrating the fact that she had been chosen by the witches to represent them on the honour council. Not that she didn't know enough people or didn't have friends, but after her break up with Penelope she had isolated herself from people and now ...

There was no one.

Her mother, after texting her about this new achievement, returned her call three days later with a brief congratulation. Her father had only given her a smile and a little pat on the shoulder and then ran to do god knows what. And then there was Lizzie.

Sighing, she sat on the bed, the excitement fading at the thought of her sister. At first she didn't say anything, but after a few days, she was looking at her in a strange way that she couldn't understand.

"Ready for your surprise, Josie?" Hope asked, opening the door without knocking. Her smile faded when she found her sitting on the bed with her head bowed. Without thinking, she leaned in front of her and took her hands, rubbing them with her thumbs. "you're good?"

Surprised by her sudden appearance, Josie looked down at her hands, wondering why just the touch of her skin on hers felt so comforting. Then she shook her head and stepped back to her feet.

"Nothing, I guess I was lost in my thoughts"

Hope frowned as she got up, knowing there was more to it than that. But she reminded herself that she still had no right to pressure the brunette. Instead, it reminded her of her plans for the day.

"so. Are you ready to go? "

Josie nodded, the excitement coming back to her.

"Yes, just let me take my jacket"

They walked through the crowded hallways of the school, it was Saturday and all the students were outside, they went through the crowd in the hallways to Bentley parked in front of the entrance. Hope surprised her once more by opening the door for her.

She smiled as she got into the car.

"So what exactly does this celebration you have planned entail?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you," Hope commented as she closed the door.

Josie watched her walk to the other side and slide behind the wheel, a smile on her face.

" and why not?"

“Because that would ruin the surprise. then I guess you'll have to wait and see "

Josie made a small groan and leaned back against the seat, but a small smile pulled from her lips. It was the first time anyone had done something like this for her and the fact that Hope was the first made her feel special.

They drove away from Mystic Falls, Josie had no idea where Hope was taking her until an hour later she could see the beach.

"Did you bring me to the beach?"

Hope laughed as she paid for the engine.

"I think it's pretty obvious, but yeah" joked the auburn girl.

Josie gave her a smile as she unbuckled her seat belt and ran out to sea.

Hope smiled as she saw the brunette take off her shoes to put her feet in the water. she takes the picnic basket from the car and walk over to the brunette, who returned to her.

The tribrid took out a blanket and spread it while Josie took out the food.

"So a picnic on the beach?"

"I think the event deserved better than the old mill or the woods near the school," she shrugged, dismissing it.

Her words took her by surprise, the brunette looked at her for a few moments before looking for a distraction from this new side of Hope Mikaelson. She quickly scooped the rest of the food out of the basket, grabbed the last of it, and frowned as it crumpled under her fingers.

"what is this?" asked the brunette looking at a small rolled paper tied with a yellow ribbon.

Hope handed her a plate with a vegetarian sandwich in front of the brunette.

"Your congratulations’ gift"

Josie had thought the trip to the beach and the picnic was her gift. It couldn't weigh on better than this day.

"So what does all this mean?" she asked as she pointed around her confused.

"An excuse to spend time with you" Josie saw the warring emotions in the tribrid’s blue eyes, she poured them both a glass of orange juice and nodded towards her gift " let's open it”

Josie impatiently undid the ribbon knot, to reveal a highly detailed drawing of her at a school assembly.

Stunned, her fingers ran over her perfectly drawn face.

"Hope ..."

"I hope you like it"

"I don't know what to say, thank you"

Then she notices, the words at the bottom. _Just the beginning_.

"The drawing is from your first assembly as a representative of the witches" Hope explained in a low voice "you did great and I know that this will only be the beginning, because I know you will achieve even better things"

Josie tilted her head, her hair obscuring her face. Josie said nothing and Hope walked over to her thinking that maybe she had made a mistake.

"Josie?" A drop fell on the drawing and she used her finger to lift the brunette's chin. Her eyes were shining with tears "hey I'm sorry I ..."

The brunette shook her head, stopping her words. She pursed her lips, trying to control the tears that still wanted to flow, needing the tribrid to know what this meant to her. "thanks for believing in me"

Hope brushed her hair out of her face and stroked her cheek with her fingers.

"Trust me, the world is going to remember Josie Saltzman"

There was so much more she wanted to tell her, how special she knew she was and how, if she left her, she would spend the rest of her life making sure she never doubted it again. But she didn't want to push, so she stepped back, giving her a way out.

"I guess we should start eating, before the ants take it away"

Josie smiled, her eyes still wet, and nodded.

They were both careful to keep the conversation easy, and the rest of the picnic passed quickly as they talked. When they finished, the twilight was erasing the last traces of the setting sun. Together they packed everything and Hope carried the basket back to the car, while Josie hugged herself.

Later Hope parked her car in the school garage and they went out. They walked towards the school. Josie was still looking at her and Hope could tell she was getting ready to say something to her. She hoped she hadn't gone too far today and that Josie didn't walk away from her.

Josie stopped in front of her room door. She took a deep breath and turned to the girl who was waiting beside her.

“Hope, today was amazing. The trip to the beach, the picnic and the drawing. Well, not just today. You're a good friend, probably the best I've ever had, but all this feels like… more than friendship"

A part of Josie couldn't really believe what she'd said, that she could ever get to this point with Hope Mikaelson of all people. But, standing in the empty corridor, she was nothing like the girl she had met years before and more like the girl she spent with today. And it was hard to admit, even to herself, how easy she could fall in love with the girl in front of her if she wasn't careful.

Her face was anxious, but Hope couldn't tell what response she expected. She realized that this was her chance. She took a step closer.

"it is"

Josie tried to swallow, her heart pounding so hard she was sure Hope could hear it under her skin.

"Hope the last few weeks have been unexpected" She looks away and she reached out to touch the tribrid's arm "and great, but I've never been good with triangles, even if it's with a memory"

A frustrated Hope ran a hand through her hair.

“Josie, Landon has nothing to do with this, I swear. It's about me and you "

The brunette's smile was sad and incredulous.

"I know what you think, Hope, but ..."

"No" she interrupted. She wouldn't lose her to the ghost of a relationship that had ended long before she could admit it “that's what I know it is. Give me a chance to prove it to you so that you’ll know it, too "

Josie leaned against the wall, wanting to believe her.

"how?"

The tribrid smiled.

"Well, we could start by going to the festival in town together"

Josie wrinkled her nose.

"I don’t know"

Hope put her hand against the wall beside her head and watched her eyes widen as she leaned in until their bodies were almost touching.

"Come on, it'll be fun" she said quietly.

Josie tried to ignore the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"okay. I’ll go with you"

Hope smiled, taking a few steps back, ready to go back to her room.

"Hope!" called Josie.

She look at her.

Josie held up the drawing.

"It's a great drawing" she said with a shy smile on her lips.

"Well, I had an incredible muse" she smiled back at her. "Good night, Josie"

"Good night, Hope"

Josie watched her go, as she bit her lip and looked back at the drawing.


	33. Surprise

"Is mom in New York?" Lizzie asked excitedly.

"Yes and she wants you to join her this week," Alaric explained to his daughters.

"all week?" Josie asked, she was dying to see her mother, but it felt a little bad to be separated from Hope.

"Come on, sister, I think you can be away from your puppy for a few days" the blonde smiled sweetly towards her sister.

"Lizzie ..." Josie warned with red cheeks.

"I already booked your tickets, it'll be out in a few hours so get ready," Alaric said without paying attention to Lizzie's teasing.

Both girls left their father's office, Lizzie practically ran towards some witches to show off her next trip to New York, leaving the brunette to walk alone to her room.

She felt like Lizzie was mad at her, but she still didn't know why, deep inside her she hoped this trip to see her mother would help with that.

When she got to her room she took out her suitcase and started packing, then she heard the sound of the door opening.

"Hey, I saw you come in so I decided to stop by and say hi ..." Hope stopped when she saw her pack. She tries to mask the unease with a joke. "I didn't know the idea of going out with me was scary enough to make you run away"

Josie smiled at her, it was a small smile, but it eased the agitation on her face and the worry inside her tribrid.

"Very funny, Hope"

She walked over to the brunette who was still putting clothes in the suitcase.

"Or is it just the idea of the festival that makes you run?"

"none. Mom is in New York and wants to see Lizzie and me” She explains.

"Oh, so it means the festival idea is cancelled"

Josie stopped packing and stood in front of the tribrid.

"If you think you're going to get out of this just because I'm going out of town for a few days, you're wrong"

A big smile appeared on Hope's face.

"So, are you going to return in time?"

The brunette nodded and bit her lip shyly.

" Will you miss me?"

Hope's eyes look into Josie's brown ones, she knew she should give her the light answer that the brunette expected, but she couldn't help but answer honestly.

"always"

Nervous, Josie looked back into those blue eyes and a shy smile appeared on her lips.

"I'll miss you too, Hope"

They looked at each other for a moment, until Josie's phone snapped them out of their trance. The brunette checked her phone.

"Dad saying that the car is in the entrance so that we can put the suitcases inside" She looks at Hope's sad smile "the sooner I go; the sooner I'll be back" she said closing the suitcase.

Josie was going to take her suitcase, but Hope stepped forward and took the suitcase for her. The brunette was surprised and then smiled at her.

"thanks"

They both left the room meeting the blonde at the door.

"Tell dad I'm coming down in a few secs, I'll pack quickly" the blonde said running inside.

"We'll wait at least an hour," Josie said to Hope, smiling.

The auburn girl carried the brunette's suitcase to the car and put it in the trunk.

"So, can I talk to you later?" Hope asked.

"I'll be waiting for it"

"I'm here, let's go" Lizzie said running with a suitcase.

“I thought it would take you longer to pack,” Josie said.

"We have magic sister, I used it" Lizzie said as if it were the obvious thing to do.

Josie looked at Hope and before she could convince herself otherwise, she leaned over to the tribrid and quickly kissed her cheek. Then she got in the car and waved goodbye.

Hope returned her goodbye, watching her leave and sighed hoping the days without Josie would pass quickly.

"I don't like New York," Josie's voice said over the phone.

"I'm sure it's not that bad, Jo" Hope could almost imagine the pout that the brunette was making "I thought you liked the city"

"I like Mystic Falls better"

"Broadway, Central Park, the metropolitan museum, the museum of modern art ... none of that compares to the Grill and the waterfalls" joked the tribrid.

"I know" the brunette continued the joke "so, how was your day?"

"I've had better," Hope said as she watched Maya argue with some wolves.

"What happens?"

Hope mentally went over the list of problems related to Maya.

"Maya decided that belonging to the school pack wasn’t for her, that submit to a man is very from the last century and it wouldn’t be very feminist of her and apparently she likes MG"

Josie couldn't stop the outburst of laughter.

"Josie, it's not funny."

"I'm sorry, Hope" she apologized, then ruined the effect by laughing again "I'll have to tell Lizzie to be alert"

When her only response was silence, she swallowed the rest of her laugh.

"She doesn't want to belong to the school pack, I don't see what the problem is?"

"Do you remember what happened to Rafael?" Hope reminded her.

"Oh right" Josie recalled "but now Rafa is in charge, I don't think he wants to hit Maya until she agrees to submit"

"True, but the other wolves could push," Hope said.

"Let's hope everything goes well" said Josie "so did all this happen in the 3 days I've been away?"

“This all happened in the morning” Hope corrected and sighed “just tell me you're going to be back in time for the festival. Maya's life may depend on it "

Josie's laugh filled her phone.

"If I have my way, I'll be back sooner than you think"

"Well, I guess I can keep dealing with Maya until you get back." She knew everything would be better if Josie were there. "I can't wait to see you again"

The tribrid heard Josie's voice soften.

"I can't wait to see you either, bye, Hope"

"Bye, Josie"

"Hey, I heard you complaining about me to your girlfriend" Maya said approaching Hope.

"I wasn't complaining," Hope said defensively. "And I'll go for a run, so don't get in trouble"

"Sure, boss"

Hope just rolled her eyes and walked toward the school exit, when she froze in the middle of the hall. Landon was entering the school, followed by Dr. Saltzman.

"Landon?"

He was standing in front of her, wearing a plaid shirt and his messy black hair looked more like a ghost from her past than the boy she had met. The tribrid shook its head, pulling away as she tried to understand what was happening. She had buried his body, he was dead.

Landon could see the confusion in her eyes and took a careful step forward, placing a hand gently against her face. It felt like a long time since he'd been this close to Hope.

Stunned, Hope could only stand there, feeling his touch against her skin, warm and real. He was alive. She spread her arms and hugged him.

Landon wrapped his arms around the auburn girl, feeling relieved. She still loved him, he could see it in her eyes. He had been so afraid that something would change during the time he was gone, but now he knew he didn't have to worry. They could finally be together.

Hope closed her eyes with a smile on her face. Fate had given her a second chance, erasing one of the marks on her soul. Landon wasn't dead, she no longer had to bear the blame for not saving him.

He hugged her tighter.

"I've waited for this for so long"

Josie walked briskly down the sidewalk, rushing her sister and mother.

“We already know you're in a hurry to see your dog, Jo. But you would mind walking slower. The plane isn't going to leave for a couple of hours more” Lizzie complained.

“Your sister is right, Josie. We can still check in and get something to eat at the airport” Caroline said.

The brunette just wanted to go home and surprise a beautiful tribrid who was waiting for her.


	34. In The Name Of Love

Hope was staring absently at Landon, still processing the story he had just told her. She had always known that he wasn’t normal per se, but that he was a phoenix that literally couldn’t die and that his father was Malivore himself, it was something a bit hard to believe. Even harder to believe was that Alaric had kept everything from her, making Landon pass for dead because he was wanted by an organization called the Triad and apparently the monsters from Malivore as well.

"Do you want to sit down?" Hope offered the boy, indicating the old couch in her room.

Landon couldn't help but smile as he sat up.

"Come on, sit down with me, to talk a bit"

Hope nodded, sat next to him, and turned to look at her. Thinking of the guilt that had led to knowing that someone else had paid the price for loving her with his life.

“Landon, I thought you were gone. If you only knew how it feels” She shook her head, wondering why he hadn't found a way to let her know that he was okay.

"Hope, I'm so sorry" he whispered, reaching out to take the tribrid's hands. "I never meant to hurt you"

He had learned in this time that sometimes pain was necessary in life to get what you wanted. When Dr. Saltzman proposed this plan to him, he knew that it would cause Hope a lot of pain, but he had held onto the belief that the end justifies the means and that the pain he caused Hope would be worth it once they were together.

The tribrid nodded, realizing their plan. Landon was willing that not only her, but everyone who cared for him would suffer all this time, thinking that he was dead.

"You didn't trust me enough to let me help you"

“I was trying to protect you, Hope. To all" the boy tried to explain "I know you. Hope. You would try to save me and everyone in this school, even if it would put your life in danger. "

While it’s true that he liked that about her, the fact that she cared so much for him. But her life was the only thing he was not willing to risk. He had nothing, he only had Hope, so he didn't care what price he paid as long as he still had her.

Hope looked away from Landon. He had been afraid to let her help and Josie ...

_"We aren’t like that; we aren’t those people who sit idly by when something bad happens"_

She wishes Josie was there right now. Nothing felt impossible when she was with her. She sighed, turning her attention back to Landon, forcing herself to stop thinking about Josie and how much she missed her.

"I couldn't risk something happening to you"

"You know, it's kind of ironic to hear someone say that" it was always her who was trying to protect the people in her life and she couldn't explain to herself why something about this whole situation didn't sit well with her. She tries to give a reason to her feelings for both of them. "But I guess I'm not used to being the one who needs to be protected"

He gave her a smile so big that she looked down, uncomfortable that, although everything had changed for her, for Landon, things had remained the same as always. He had not experienced the world created by Argos, so they had not been able to leave things on the same place as they had before, where they were just friends. Like her and Lizzie. Lizzie. She laughed.

"I can't wait to see the expression on Lizzie's face when she finds out you're alive."

The smile left his face.

“They can't all know yet, not until we find Clarke”

Hope looked at him, knowing that there was a time, a few weeks ago for her, when she would have offered to stay in her room without a second thought. It would have seemed natural to offer him full protection. But now things were different. She frowned, wondering what Josie would think of Landon staying in her room. She would jump to the wrong conclusions before giving her a chance to explain herself and who knows maybe she would set Landon on fire.

When she didn't say anything, Landon looked at her confused. This was not the way he had imagined their reunion. Except for the hug he received when she saw him in the doorway, she had stayed away from him.

She looked away from him, assumed that when he "died" it must have caused her more pain than he thought and now, she was avoiding being hurt again. It was just a defence mechanism. But she didn't have to worry again, he promised silently, because nothing was going to separate them now. All he had to do was give her time for her to believe that.

“I know I shouldn't have come back yet, Hope. But I had to see you, no matter how dangerous it was. "

His words made the guilt accumulate in the tribrid’s chest. He was right, it was dangerous. She rises to her feet, able to offer shelter.

"I think Rafa has a new roommate, so you can stay here, you'll be safe"

Landon smiled. There was a time when that smile had made her feel like the luckiest person in the world and she would have done anything to make Landon keep smiling at her like that. But that time is up. Everything had changed and she had to make sure he knew about it.

"Landon, I have to tell you, the things are different now and my life has become a little more ..." Maya entered the room "complicated"

Landon looked at the brunette.

"Landon, this is my new roommate, Maya."

“Hello, I’m Maya” she greeting

"Hello" said Landon

"Say hello to the next Alpha of the wolf pack" said the brunette.

"Listen, when I talked about fitting in, I didn't mean that," Hope said "Taking Raf's place as Alpha isn’t mixing"

"I already told you, that I’m not willing to submit to a man, my inner feminist doesn’t let me"

"I think I'll go see Raf" Landon said leaving the room.

"Maya, you’ll only make the whole pack go against you" the tribrid tried to reason.

"They don't leave me a choice, I don't want to submit, so if I have to kick your friend's ass to don’t it, I'll do that"

"Maya…"

"As I see it, I only have two options, they let me be the social pariah that you said I would become if I don't join or become alpha, besides what are you going to know about that if you aren’t in the pack?" The brunette said before leaving the room.

Hope stayed there.

"Ha, what am I going to know? I'm a wolf with wolf parents, a wolf aunt, oh, right! and my wolf children” she complained in a low voice.

Her children who was gone. Realization hit her, along with a pain so deep in her chest that Hope thought she was having a heart attack. She had forgotten. For a brief moment, she thought that her children were there, that she could walk a few steps and she could hold them in her arms. In a fit of anger, she threw a chair against the nearest wall.

The sensation left her legs and she slid to the floor, resting her forearms on her knees and her hands dangling uselessly between them.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she threw her head back, breathing raggedly. Hope could see them clearly, their soft baby smiles, their children. Andy and Luke. What would she give to see her children, to hug them, just one more time?


	35. Again

After going out to get some air, Hope returned to her room, feeling exhausted between the pain she felt for the loss of her children and the concern she felt for Maya. She stopped in surprise to find Landon inside. She had forgotten about him.

The boy gave her a smile, hoping her mood had improved now that she was out for a breath. She didn't smile back and the boy's brows drew together in concern.

"Hope, is everything okay?"

"No, it's not, Landon" she clenched her jaw at the thought of the missing crib once again and a life that should have included the sweet laughter of babies. She passes by Landon "we have to talk, but right now I have to figure out what to do with Maya, remind me to thank Dr. Saltzman, before Maya, I didn’t know what it was like to battle with such a stubborn person"

"Don't you think you're being a bit harsh on Maya?"

“I’m trying to help her. She doesn't know anything about wolf dynamics” Landon didn't understand. He knew nothing about the supernatural world, a world to which he and Maya now belonged. “And now she's one step away from getting beaten up by the entire pack. Maya has to adjust "

Landon could see Hope's self-guilty look.

“Don't be too hard on Maya, or on yourself. You can't stop her from making her own decisions Hope "

"I know" She accept the tribrid "you know of all the conversations that I imagined we could have if you were alive, I never imagined this. That you could understand "

"You don't seem to know me as well as you thought" Landon smiled.

"I think we never knew each other so well" Hope said seriously.

"What are you talking about?" the phoenix looked at her in confusion.

“Landon, we need to talk. There is something I need to tell you ... "

Hope's phone rang and Landon couldn't help but be relieved by the interruption. After a little chat with the person on the other end of the phone, the tribrid hung up.

"I need to go, Maya had a fight with the wolves and apparently MG was injured" she reported.

"is he okay? If you want, can I go with you? "

"No, they’re wolf things, it wouldn’t turn out well for someone who isn’t a wolf"

"Oh"

Before the boy could say anything else, Hope left the room.

Josie walked into the school carrying her suitcase and a bag of gifts that she had brought for Maya and Hope. She walked to her room and left everything there, deciding to deliver the gifts after their date at the festival. Then she practically ran into Hope's room and, not caring to knock, opened the door.

"Hope, guess who just arrived?"

She was shocked as she looked at the dead boy standing in the middle of Hope's room.

"Landon?"

Landon smiled at the brunette.

"Hello, Josie"

"Don't take it the wrong way, but you weren't… dead?"

Although she knew it was irrational, her first thought was that the moment Hope's devotion to Landon had faded, the boy had risen from the grave to continue the drama between them.

"I happen to be a phoenix, so I can't die permanently." Landon smiled. "So Hope and I can be together without her worrying that I'll die."

"Hope and you?"

Landon smiled more earnestly.

"Hope is the only person I've ever loved and after the whole phoenix thing, we can be together forever."

Unable to look at him anymore, Josie lowered her gaze to the ground.

"when did you get back?"

"This morning, Hope let me stay in her room, until your father finds me a place to stay."

Landon lost in his own happiness, he didn't look at Josie's shudder.

This morning? She swallowed the bile that rise up her throat. So, Hope asked her over the phone to come back and then the moment they hung up, did she invite her ex to live with her?

Josie avoided the boy's eyes, fearing she'd start screaming or worse, cry. She didn't want to be there anymore.

“Well I… should go. I just came to say hello. Congratulations on…” she couldn't bring herself to say for being with Hope and had to end with “you know, being among the living”

She turned around and left the room, so she ran to her room. The trip to the festival was completely cancelled. She needed time to herself before she could confront Hope and be as nonchalant as she wanted to be when she gave the tribrid a choice to get out of the mess she had gotten into.

Maybe tomorrow she would be able to laugh and tell her that it was no big deal. That she hadn't done exactly what she had allowed herself to do, believe her, believe that she ...

"Stupid," she whispered harshly, feeling the wetness of tears on her face.

She should have known better, Josie berated herself silently, than to believe that Hope could change. She had seen Landon and Hope's relationship. They always managed to get back together. He was what Hope had always wanted. How could she have really thought that if Hope Mikaelson had the chance to pick between her and Landon, that she would ever choose her?

She buried her face between the pillows on her bed, trying to stifle the tears and the enormous feeling of loneliness she felt.


	36. Goodbye to an old love

Fortunately for Maya, Hope arrived before things got more serious, the only bad thing is that one of the wolves hit MG so hard that he broke his neck, killing him for a few minutes.

After fixing everything with the wolves, the tribrid returned to their room, finding Landon watching the sunset through the window.

"You have no idea how good it feels to be back, after everything that's happened lately" he said with a happy smile on his face.

Hope frowned.

"Everything, meaning Maya ... or me?"

The boy's smile wavered.

"Meeting your roommate has definitely been an experience, but I was talking about us"

Hope sighed.

"I've wanted to talk to you all day, but I haven't had time"

"Does it have to do with you asking Kaleb for a sleeping bag?"

The tribrid straightened, looking resigned but determined.

"Yes it is"

Landon told himself that this is what he had always wanted, for Hope to be open about what she was feeling. So why did he suddenly feel so scared?

To delay whatever Hope was going to say, he stepped forward before he could speak.

"Hope, I was afraid that you wouldn't forgive me for faking my death."

Hope looked at him for a moment.

"We have made mistakes"

"I know, but this is our chance to start over, Hope I came back for you, for us" he put a hand on her cheek "I want to be there for you"

Hope placed a hand over his and pulled it away from her face. Then she said the words that she was sure would break the boy's heart.

"I don’t know"

"what?"

She sighed and closed her eyes. Wishing for an easier way to say this, a way that she wouldn't hurt the boy in front of her, but knowing there was no way, she just spoke the truth.

“Landon, after your funeral, I ran into a monster. He offered to show me a life where we weren’t together "

"Hope, what ..."

“I blamed myself for your death. I thought that if we weren't together you wouldn't have died, that you'd be safe, but you still… died. " She takes a deep breath and continue “I fell in love with someone else, we had children together. I asked her to marry me. It was Josie "

Landon's brow furrowed as he tried to distance himself from the pain he felt hearing her speak like that about someone other than him.

"I don’t understand. That monster caused you a hallucination, what does that have to do with us? It wasn't real”

"It was" she interrupted "it was more real to me than anything I've ever felt"

Her words cut the phoenix like a knife.

"included me?"

She looked away from him and he got his answer.

"So while I was doing my best to be with you again, you were moving on with Josie?" he said breathing heavily. "Is that why she came here a while ago?"

Hope's gaze shot up to him.

"Was Josie here?" What did she say? "

Disgusted by the way the tribrid focused on Josie, he spat angrily.

"She just came to say hello, we talked about me staying here and then she left"

Hope closed her eyes, knowing what Josie must be thinking.

Landon read her face and knew it was Josie she was worried about. Not him. Not them. How could she do this to him? After everything he did for them, she was falling in love with a hallucination. He shook his head, unable to believe it.

"After everything we've been through, are you going to throw away our love for a dream that won't last?"

She turned to look at him and for the first time since he had returned, he finally recognized the look in her eyes every time she looked at him. It was a look that told him that he was her past.

“Landon, I loved you. I wanted to be with you more than anything and I put you before everyone else in my life "

"I never asked you to do that" he protest.

"I know, you never had to." Her adoration for him had always been the result of her own hopes and fantasies. “When we were together, when everything was perfect, I still couldn't shake the fear that it wouldn't last. That if I didn't do everything in my power to have you with me, I would lose you. But with Josie, I never felt like this. I know that when I hug her, she will be there, always. I'm not afraid anymore"

But Landon was and he was angry.

"what happened now?"

"Landon, I want you to be safe."

He scoffed.

"Landon, I'm sorry, I never meant to hurt you."

"Are you sure, Hope?"

Then he kissed her, but instead that she pulled him towards her as always happened, she pushed him back.

"I'm sure Landon"

"Then I think I'll go; I'll find where to sleep"

Hope heard the annoyance in his voice, but she knew there was nothing she could do to make him feel better, she needed to cut the connection that united them.

The boy walked to the door and turned to Hope one last time. The tribrid knew there was only one thing left to say.

"Bye, Landon"

The phoenix pursed his lips, nodded, and left.


	37. Coming Together

Josie was taking a walk around the lake when she found Maya sitting on the small dock, her gaze lost on the lake. The brunette realized that she seemed lonely and wondered if she had someone who cared for her besides Hope.

"Hey" greeting Josie

"I was leaving," Maya said as she tried to stand up.

"why?" Josie stopped her "I think there's plenty of space for both of us"

Maya smiled.

"How was New York?"

"As always" She reject the question "how was everything around here?"

Maya laughed humourlessly and looked out at the water, feeling more self-conscious than she wanted to show. She shrugged and tried to make it look like what had happened was no big deal.

"Well, if you say that a fight with the wolves that ended with Mg dead for a few minutes as normal in school, then it was all great"

Josie smiled sympathetically.

"Well, I assure you it was the most normal week they have had, since the Malivore thing"

"You know Hope thinks I'm doing this to get attention, but I know what’s being at the bottom of the food chain at school and I don't want to go back there."

Josie looked at her understandingly.

"I can understand that"

Maya was about to say something else when a voice interrupted her.

"You didn't tell me you were back," Hope said.

"I think I'll go see MG" Maya said before getting up and leaving the couple alone.

"Yeah, well, you didn't tell me that your ex-boyfriend was alive and staying with you, so…" she shrugged coldly.

Hope shuddered at the cold in her voice.

Josie stood up and finally faced her.

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough to see you connect with my roommate in a way that I haven't been able to" she answered quietly.

Hope had been looking for the brunette since Landon told her she’s come back, just arrived at the dock when she saw Josie talk to Maya effortlessly, giving her what the werewolf needed: understanding.

"It wasn't a big deal"

The fact that she believed that, was one of the reasons she loved her. She took a step toward her, wanting to erase some of the pain she had inadvertently caused.

"Josie ..."

"Don't do it" said the brunette harshly and the tribrid stopped, but it still felt like she was too close, so Josie step back. Her back was straight and her shoulders tight as she told herself forcefully that the best way to deal with this, was to pretend it hadn't been a big deal. She could never look Hope in the eyes again if she knew how much she'd hurt her.

She took a deep breath, hoping her voice didn't reveal the weakness she felt.

“Look, Hope, I've already spoken to Landon, so there's no need for explanations. We went to the beach and had a picnic, it's not like it meant anything ... "

She stopped when she felt her hand between hers and looked anywhere but at the tribrid's face, she didn't want to see the guilty regret she was sure to find on her face.

Hope watched as Josie avoided her gaze with determination, tears shining in her eyes. She lifted her hand and cupped her face, her thumb brushing her cheekbone.

Unable to stop, her eyes closed, her breathing unsteady as she felt Hope closer.

The tribrid looked at her. She was so beautiful, she thought, and she wouldn't let her believe for another second that what they had wasn’t important.

"It meant everything," she whispered.

The tribrid captured her lips with hers and the brunette moaned when she felt Hope's lips move gently over her mouth in a kiss that soothed her as much as it moved her. Josie sighed, letting her body relax against the tribrid's.

Her arms slid around her neck and her fingers tangled in her hair, anchoring her to her. But before she could completely lose herself in her arms, an unpleasant thought surfaced in her mind: Landon. She leaned back.

"Hope, wait. What about Landon? "

Hope wrapped her arms around Josie's waist, refusing to let her go.

“Landon came in the morning after talking to you. He told me that he faked his death, well, not everything, he actually died, but apparently he’s a phoenix now, so he’s immortal, he was hiding from a secret organization, but he came back, then we could be together” she felt Josie tense and tightened her grip cautiously, she wouldn't let her run away before she had a chance to explain herself “but that's not what I want, Josie"

She took a deep breath.

"I don’t love him anymore. The only reason I told him that he could stay with me was to keep him safe and because there was no room" She hesitate not wanting to tell her what had happened, but she couldn't hide it from her " when I told him that things had changed, he kissed me and he asked me if I was sure "

"and?" Josie didn't know if she wanted to know the answer.

Hope looked into her eyes seriously.

"I told him that I was more sure of you than anything else in my life, he left, I don't know if he would stay at school"

"Good" said the brunette passing her arms around the tribrid’s shoulders.

"Josie, there is so much I want to tell you, so much that I ..."

She shook her head, stopping her words.

"There are only two things I want to know right now. First, are you sure about Landon? I mean, I've been watching the drama between you, guys. And the thing is, no matter what who else gets involved it always goes back to Hope and Landon" She gave her an understanding smile "I know how you let guilt lead you, Hope, and I don't want that to be the reason you’re here with me, instead of him"

"It's not," she said firmly, "Landon was part of my dream of wanting to be normal and when I was with him, a part of me still felt like I was still chasing the dream. I don't feel that way when I'm with you. Trust me. Josie and Hope are stronger than Landon and Hope. I know who I love, Jo and I have her in my arms right now "

It was a risk, she knew. She could end up being nothing more than a second choice, worse yet, Hope might leave her one day. She had been abandoned by everyone she cared about, her mom spending most of her time in Europe, her dad keeping school, Penelope breaking up their relationship, even Lizzie when she was hunting for a new boy, but something told her that, if Hope left her, it would hurt more than anything else. But when she looked into those blue eyes, she knew she couldn't get away from her. She would take a chance with both of them together. Maybe Josie and Hope really were stronger. She said softly, "Okay"

the tribrid exhaled in relief, then her jaw clenched. She wanted to do this right, she didn't want there to be anything between them. "But Josie, there’s something I need to tell you…"

Josie stopped her words with a kiss, a lightness in her heart that completely erased the pain. She leaned back in her arms and raised a mischievous brow.

"Keep your big, deep, dark secrets, Hopey. All I want to know right now is if you can keep your promise."

Her brow furrowed in confusion.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well," she let her fingers run in the hair at the back of her head as she said with an air of mock seriousness, "a certain girl promised to take me out on a date, and I just wondered if she still remembered”

Hope smiled at her and held out her hand. "There is nothing I would like more than to go to the festival with you, but first, don't you want to go to dinner with me?"

"Maybe," she admitted with a cheeky grin, "but you didn't say the magic word."

Hope brought their bodies closer.

"I didn't, huh?"

She shook her head and bit her lower lip.

"Nope."

Hope leaned in, letting her mouth travel her jaw and down her neck as she whispered, "Please?"

Josie swallowed and opened her eyes without realizing she had closed them. She saw Hope smiling at her and cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure.

"Nothing like a magic word, huh?"

the tribrid chuckled.

"Now, take me to dinner, Hopey"

Hope rolled her eyes at the nickname, but she couldn't be happier.


	38. Little Talk

Hope woke up, still confused by her dream.

"Josie?" she said her girlfriend’s name.

A big smile adorned her face at the thought. Her girlfriend.

"She left" Maya said as she handed her a sheet of paper "but she left you a note."

Hope took it and read it aloud.

_“I had to go with Lizzie. You looked too cute to wake up. See you tonight, Hopey "_

"That's nice" Maya said as she put on her shoes "I guess things are going well?"

She thought back to her last weeks with Josie and only smiled even more radiantly.

"Yes, I think things are going well"

Maya scoffed.

"That's an understatement, considering this is Josie's third time spending the night since the festival, so I'd say things are going very well."

"Maya…"

"Hey, don't worry. I like spending the night with Jessica, if you know what I mean" said the brunette suggestively.

"Jessica? What happened to Lucy? " Hope asked confused.

" we’re good friends, now" Maya said with a smile. "I'm glad you and Josie are fine, maybe that will keep you from being so tense all the time" joked the brunette, earning Hope to throw a pillow at her that she dodged without problems.

Hope's mind went back to her first date at the festival and how that night had ended better than she thought.

_"Are you sure you don't want to ride the Ferris wheel?" Josie asked Maya, who decided to join them to the festival._

_"No thanks Josie, I find it a bit confined up there"_

_Behind Josie, Hope was laughing. While she saw how the wolf preferred to go to the cotton candy_

_Josie sighed and then linked her arm through the tribrid's, pulling her toward the waiting line._

_"Well, I guess it'll just be you and me, Hope"_

_"What if I don't want to get on?" Hope asked even as she let Josie drag her away._

_"You don't have a choice" she smiled at her._

_The auburn girl rolled her eyes, but a smile tugged at her lips as she lined up with her. The wheel slowed to stop and lower the passengers. Hope and Josie walked over and sat in the empty seat, swaying a bit as the operator closed the metal bar across their laps._

_The journey began and the tribrid began to see what Maya meant by confinement, Hope thought with a slight grimace. To distract herself from the feeling of being lifted back into the air by the metal ride, she glanced at Josie and noted her serious expression as she watched the Festival. She frowned and rested her arm on the back of the seat. "Hey, are you okay?"_

_She looked at her with sad eyes and gave her a pale smile. "It's nothing Hope. I just thought I was going to sleep alone tonight, since Lizzie comes back tomorrow."_

_She hated how lonely she sounded at the time and wished countless times this was another life, one where she could take her to her room and hold her in her arms all night so she would know she was loved._

_"Why don't you stay with me tonight?" The words came out before she could rethink them and when her big eyes looked at her, she stuttered: "With me and Maya, of course. I don't want you sleeping alone"_

_She studied her for a moment and Hope wondered what she was looking for on her face. Whatever it is, she must have found it, because she said, "Thank you." Then she surprised her by moving closer to her and resting her head on her shoulder. The tribrid smiled and put her hand around her shoulder. She sighed contently. "It’s beautiful here"_

_"Mmm" she agreed when the ride stopped at the top. They looked towards where the whole town was set before them with lights._

_"Are you afraid?"_

_Hope looked into her concerned eyes and then her gaze fell to her mouth, not an inch away from hers. She breathed._

_"Terrified"_

_Josie rolled her eyes, but smiled and pointed around her._

_"I mean the height"_

_Reluctantly, she returned her attention to the landscape below._

_"It doesn't bother me; it must be because I have you here"_

_" seriously? All you needed was me?” Josie joked._

_"Yes, Josie Saltzman, you are definitely what my life was missing."_

_They sat down, each lost in their own thoughts for a moment before Josie said quietly, "I like being here, away from everything. It's nice."_

_She sounded melancholy and Hope kissed her forehead, rubbing her shoulders._

_"Thanks, Hope"_

_the tribrid looked at her, surprised._

_"For what?"_

_She shook her head, a sad smile on her lips._

_"Because somehow, just when I think I finally understand you, you completely surprise me with something new. Something better than I ever imagined."_

_Josie lifted a hand and cupped her jaw, tracing her fingers along. The warmth in her eyes almost took her breath away. She leaned down and kissed her gently. Hope responded to the gentle pressure on her lips, her arm circling her waist as her other hand grabbed her shoulder, pulling her closer to her body._

_She could feel her fingers digging into her shoulders as she arched against her. She turned her head to the side, deepening the kiss. Her mouth opened and at the brush of her tongue against hers, she could have sworn they were flying again until she heard a distant laugh and felt someone tap her on the shoulder._

_She pulled away from Josie and looked up to see the operator looking at them with a smile on his face. "I'm sorry miss, the ride is over. Unless you two want to go again?"_

_She blushed and looked to see that Josie's face was as pink as she imagined her own to be._

_"No, uh ... we're fine"_

_They quickly got up and walked away, ignoring the knowing looks and smiles from the crowd that had been waiting in line._

_"And you say it's me who always surprises you," she murmured in her ear. "Josie Saltzman was caught making out on the Ferris wheel at the festival" Hope joked._

_"Shut up, Hope"_

_the tribrid chuckled when she noticed her blush even more than she had been and took her hand, happy when her fingers wrapped around hers._

_When the festival ended hours later, they ran into Maya and the three of them got into Hope's car and headed to school._

_Maya jumped as soon as they stopped in front of the entrance_

_"Well, Hope don't wait for me" She took a step back and then turned around._

_Hope and Josie walked silently to the tribrid’s room. Hope opened the door and let Josie in._

_Hope watched as Josie fidgeted in the middle of the room._

_"So what will the sleeping arrangements be like? Do I sleep on the floor or do I take the bed? "_

_"We could both take the bed," Hope suggested._

_Josie gulped with wide eyes._

_"Look, Hope, you might want to get lucky tonight, but ..."_

_"I'm lucky" Hope told her, stepping closer. She knew she might be asking too much, too soon, but after everything they'd been through the past few days, she wanted to spend the night holding her. "When you walk into a room and it's me who you smile at, I'm lucky. When there's anywhere you could be and you're here with me, I'm lucky. And whether I spend tonight up in bed with you in my arms or down here on the floor, just wishing I was, I'll still be lucky "_

_Her mouth fell open in surprise and Hope could see the slight gleam in her eyes, but she recovered quickly, asking with a smile._

_"Have you been rehearsing those lines, Hope?"_

_"Actually, I prefer to make it up as I go along" She joked in response. "So what’s it going to be, bed or floor? Or maybe the old couch?"_

_She stared at her for a long moment before looking down at the couch while shaking her head. "You know, I don't think that couch is big enough for both of us" Hope exhaled in relief and smiled at her when she said "Let's go to bed, to sleep, Hope" she clarified._

_"Still Lucky, Jo" she smiled._

"I've lost you in the memory of Josie Saltzman" Maya said shaking her head. Despite the way she could now periodically find her friend staring into space with a goofy grin on her face, she had to admit that Josie's addition had been a welcome change in the tribrid’s life. she laughed more freely and was more relaxed than since she came to Salvatore school.

And it was as if the school itself had absorbed her mood and echoed her, the very atmosphere seemed happier. She could hardly believe it, she thought bemusedly, but the strange school was beginning to feel like home to her.

"what do you think of Josie?" She asked, finally remembering that she was in the room.

She had to smile. Josie was quickly becoming the sister she'd never had and she relished the connection. What time Maya wasn’t spending with Hope and learning about the person she had become, she spent with Josie. They had gone shopping with her sister Lizzie, they had seen all the old movies Mg loaned them while they ate junk food.

"I like her. She’s special, Hope"

"yes, she is"

A knock on the door, Hope got off the bed to open it, revealing Lizzie standing there.

"Hi Lizzie" she greeted and opened the door wider so that the blonde could enter.

"Hi, fleas, I was hoping we could talk ... alone, no offense" she looks at Maya.

"Okay, I think it's time for me to go to breakfast" the brunette said before leaving them alone.

"everything is alright? Is Josie okay? "

"She is fine" she assures "I knew the gnome will go with Raf"

Rafael had found his father and he had invited him to spend time with him, which the wolf immediately accepted.

"Sounds good" she said sincerely.

Hope watched Lizzie look at her with wide eyes.

"what?"

"Nothing, I guess I never thought you would give up your adoration for the Hobbit"

"I thought that too, but I'm very happy with Josie more than I thought I'd ever be"

“Look, Hope, don't take it the wrong way, but I want you to be sure of how you feel for my sister, I don't want her to suffer, I don't know if you can see it, but she loves you and would kill her if you left her and you're going on your epic quest to bring the bird boy back "

“I would never leave Josie, she’s beautiful and funny. She’s honest and somehow has a way of seeing inside of me to everything that I try to hide. And when she exposes it, she takes it as calmly as if she had already known it for a long time. The way she accepts me makes me accept myself” Lizzie could see the love so strong that Hope felt for her sister in her eyes “all of me, the wolf, the witch and the girl who just wants to be normal, like I'm never more me than when I'm with her, you know? "

"Wow, you have it bad for my sister, Fido" smiled Lizzie "but I'm glad, she deserves someone to love her with the same intensity with which she loves"

Hope laughed.

"But if you hurt her, it doesn't matter that you're almost immortal, I can swear that no vampire blood helps if I suck all the magic out of you" Lizzie threatened.

"It's okay. Lizzie"

The blonde walked to the door. But she stopped before leaving.

"Just don't impregnate my sister with your puppies yet, she's too young to be a mother," she said, making Hope blush.

The blonde laughed.


	39. The Gift

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter, ppl !!!

_“The time discovers truth”.- Seneca_

Hope stood in front of Josie's door with nerves churning heavily in her stomach. She let out an unsteady sigh, nodding to herself. Today was the day. She knew that some secrets would always be necessary in life, but others only separated people, damaging them from the inside out. She wouldn't let it do that to her and Josie.

She knocks on the door and wait for the brunette to open it.

"Hi Hope" Josie greeted surprised to see her there so early in the morning. Usually the tribrid was training with her father at this time. She leaned down and kissed her.

Hope returned it, kissing her deeply, her hand reaching up to cup her jaw. She felt her surprise when she rocked against her body. Her hand rise to her collarbone and she knew she could feel the rapid beating of her heart under her palm. She kissed her gently one more time, then rested her forehead against hers.

Josie giggled slightly, a little out of breath.

"So, any particular reason for the warm greeting?"

"I had a dream about you last night" Hope confessed impulsively as her hand slid down her throat, gently stroking the sensitive skin there.

"Oh, that good?"

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head with a smile as she dropped her hand.

"It wasn't like that, Josie."

She frowned.

"So what kind of dream was it?"

she had dreamed about the four of them, Josie, her and the boys, all together as the family they had been. It had been the first time she had had a dream like this in a long time and it had been as real as the others, leaving her feeling like a hole inside when she woke up alone. It had reinforced her decision to tell Josie everything. No matter what her reaction would be, she wanted her to know. She needed her to know.

"Come on, I'll tell you" she said as she entered to the room and sat on Josie's bed.

Hope was acting strange, even for her, Josie thought. Normally she would have teasing her about it, but there was something in her eyes that made her nod. She sat down next to her.

Hope joined her hands making Josie frown she was going to say something, but Hope's strange melancholy mood stopped her. It wasn't the normal brooding silence she was used to. It was something deeper. Then, she waited, with a patience she didn't know she had, for her to say what she wanted to say.

the tribrid looked down at her hands, her thumb brushing her knuckles as she tried to keep her heart from beating out of her chest. It was time to tell the truth. After this, there would be no more lies between them.

"Josie, there is something I need to tell you." She remembered the times she had had this conversation with others and shook her head. "You know, I told your dad, Lizzie and even Landon. But the person I wanted to share it with is you."

Trying to hide the pain, she felt that the tribrid had trusted everyone but her.

"Wow, that must have been a great dream if you went and looked for your ex to tell him."

"No, Josie, this isn’t about the dream" she was already saying all this wrong.

Josie squeezed the hand she was holding to let her know she wasn't going anywhere.

"So what is it, Hope?"

She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"The day of Landon's funeral, the day I hurt you, I ran into a monster just as you left"

Josie frowned, confused.

"His name was Argos. He had the ability to show you what your life could have been like if you had made different choices. He offered to use his powers on me."

"Sounds like a pretty tempting offer," Josie mused.

Hope nodded.

"It was. I blamed myself for Landon's death. I thought if I had done things differently, if things were different, he would still be alive. So I said yes. It was just supposed to be like recovering repressed memories, but it wasn't like that. It was like I was really there, experiencing it moment by moment "

"How long were you there?" She asked, trying to imagine living two separate lives and having the memories of both.

Hope stared at her. A part of her had always known that Josie would believe her, but even so, that she accepted her so easily, believed her so completely, amazed her.

"What?"

She shook her head with a soft smile and answered her question.

"Nothing. I was there for almost a year and half. It started on talent show day. Except this time, you and I never got electrocuted"

She squirmed a bit, remembering the kisses they shared in the kitchen, she could only imagine what the two of them had done together.

"So what exactly happened?"

"We made a baby" she said simply. She saw Josie's mouth open and look away from her as she continued: "Well technically two. After that day, we went from friends to mothers, and somewhere in the middle of it all, I fell in love with you. Then our children were born."

Josie released her hand and stood up, walking away on shaky legs, not sure what to think. She closed her eyes when she heard her speak in a low voice.

"I’d never been happier"

Hope saw her head bowed and stood up, eager to reach her. But she forced herself to stay where she was and finish everything, once and for all.

"You moved into my room, we were together as a family. We got engaged. Then we found out that Landon had died. At the funeral, Argos showed up and told me that now I knew that what I would have done differently wouldn’t have changed what happened to him. And then he took me away from you. "

She took a deep, shaky breath.

She took a step toward her and pleaded, "Josie, please say something."

The brunette crossed her arms and Hope could see her knuckles turn white where she held on tight. When she spoke, her voice was low.

"Sometimes when things are gone, Hope, you can't get them back. No matter how hard you try."

She shook her head, denying what she knew she was really saying.

"Josie ..."

But Josie couldn't let her speak now, couldn't allow her to say all the right things like she had been saying before. She had to know the truth.

"So everything that’s happened in the last few weeks has been because of that life you had, not because of me?"

"No" she corrected firmly, hating the vulnerability she could hear in her voice and moved in front of her, reaching for her hands. For a second, they tightened around her arms, then she released them and Hope took them, holding her hands between them as she tried to make her understand "that's why this happened now. Maybe it would have taken me a little longer to open my eyes, but I promise you, Josie, you were always going to be the person I saw when I did "

"Hope, I'm not the person that you were with" She began uneasily. She hated how her heart twisted inside her for admit that, but she couldn't let her think she was. It seemed that once again she was trying to measure up, to see if she was the one worthy of being loved and this time, it was against herself. "I don't know how to be that person. Just hearing all that seems overwhelming. I mean, I don't know if I want to be a mother and I can't…"

"Josie" she interrupted her, squeezing her hands gently to get her attention, "I'm not who I was then, either. And I didn't miss that version of you, I just missed you."

She looked down, shaking her head as she tried to explain the swirl of emotions inside her.

"I just feel like you have a cheat sheet on me, you know?"

"Josie, I'll tell you everything you want to know about me" She tried to interject, but she kept going.

She shook her head. Hope didn't understand. It felt like the tribrid knew everything about her and she knew nothing about her. It made her feel cheated somehow.

"You know all these things about me and I thought maybe we were learning how to be us, together, because that's how a relationship works. This is all new to me, but for you, you're just re-creating old memories. Exactly how many times have you give that drawing, Hope? How many picnics have we gone on? "

"We never gone on a picnic until we went to the beach that day" interrupted the tribrid and this time the brunette was silent. Hope untangled a hand from hers and cupped her jaw, pulling them closer. "I only gave you the drawing once. It was your first Festival with me and it was definitely my first time making out with someone on the Ferris wheel."

Josie could feel the heat creep up her neck at that and Hope's mocking smile didn't help.

"I'm not interested in recreating a past, Josie. I want to build a future, with you. What Argos gave me, it was a gift. It showed me what I really wanted, and that's be with you."

It took everything Hope had to release her hand and step back, giving her the choice she deserved.

"What do you want?"

Josie looked at her silently, tears in her eyes. She was asking her to take such a great risk. It felt like she had been a stand-in for most of her life.

Now here stood Hope, who had always thought she was the most amazing person she had ever met and she was telling her that she loved her. But which her was it that she really wanted? This person she had shared a life and children with? Or her, the screw up one who, most of the time, felt lost in her own life and hiding in her sister's shadow?

Could they really be the same person? she asked herself. Like a diamond, showing different facets of the same stone? Was it really that simple? Could she risk everything, her future, her friendship with Hope, her heart on the belief that it was? Did she have that much faith in Hope?

She looked into her serious eyes that silently begged her to believe her and got her answer.

She pulled away from Hope and her heart sank as she watched her walk to the door. Hope waited for her to open it and order her from her life. Instead, she heard the click of a lock. Confused, she looked at her as she faced her.

She came up to her and shrugged helplessly, wishing she could find more eloquent words to tell her what tribrid meant to her. But all she could say was: "I want you"

Before Hope could do more than look at her, josie approached her and kissed with passion. Hope's heart was pounding as she realized that what she had hoped for was coming true.

"Take off your shoes," Josie ordered.

Hope frowning, bent down and took off her boots while Josie slipped off her shoes. The brunette unbuttoned her school jacket and put it on the back of her chair. Following her lead, Hope pulled her leather jacket off her shoulders and tossed it on Lizzie's bed. Then Josie took her hand and pushing her down on the bed. When the tribrid was laying on her back, looking up at her, the brunette crawled up beside her and rested her head on her chest. They both sighed in relief when her arms wrapped around each other, the closeness soothing them.

They looked up at the ceiling where the sun was coming in through the window, sending long lines of light across it. It was warm and quiet and Josie inhaled deeply, feeling truly content. Then curiosity made her say softly: "Tell me about our children."

Hope's eyes closed at her words. Our children. She held her against her, her voice thick when she said, "They were perfect."

Josie's laugh filled the room.

"I'd say you were exaggerating, but if they were our babies then you're probably right"

Hope chuckled and Josie smiled as the sound rumbled through her chest. She curled her hand on her shirt and asked, "What were their names?"

"Lucas and Andrew" she breathed out, feeling bittersweet pain run through her heart. She hugged her tighter. "or Luke and Andy if you asked Lizzie"

They spent the day together, without leaving the room. Josie called her father to tell him that she would take the day off with Hope, the director agreed, knowing what was happening. They needed time just for the two of them and in the sunny room that day, it felt like they were in the world alone.

It wasn't easy for either of them to talk about Hope's life, but they didn't hold back. She told her everything she could remember about it, about them. Every kiss, every touch, every fight. She told her about their children. About how she had had the same fears and worries that she had now, how she had always known they were baseless, because she was a wonderful mother. At one point, she had confessed with tears in her eyes.

"God, Josie, I miss them so much. Sometimes I think this pain will never go away. That every time I walk into my room, I'm still waiting to hear the babies laugh."

With tears filling her own eyes, the brunette rushed into her arms.

"I'm so sorry, Hope"

She had held her and despite the pain, for the first time, she had felt the healing in her. She was finally sharing her pain with Josie and as always, she was stronger with her by her side.

That night, long after the sun had set and the room was dark, Josie spoke.

"Hope, I don't want a baby right now. In fact, I'm not sure I'm ready for one."

She felt the tension in her body and captured her hand against her heart.

"Josie, look at me"

She looked up, concern written clearly in her eyes.

Hope rubbed her back and told her sincerely.

"What I feel for you isn’t conditional. I don't expect us to have a baby right now. We aren’t ready for it. I would like us to have a one-month anniversary at least before we contemplate motherhood" she joked and felt relieved when Josie laughed. Then she said seriously "the boys were an accident, the happiest accident of my life, but an accident. It wasn’t something we planned and I don't want to do that this time. I want to do things right. Let's take this slow, just us"

She smiled, feeling the fear leave her.

"Just us"

Exhausted by the emotional day they’d had; they fell asleep tangled in each other's arms. Later that night, Josie woke up, the soothing of Hope's breath in her ear telling her where she was, making her feel safe. She looked at the tribrid, her eyes tracing over her features.

She was the most amazing person she would ever meet in her life. She had already done more for this world than most people would in their entire lives, and somehow, she knew this was just the beginning. Everything she'd said to her today had surprised her. Hope could do anything, be anything, be with anyone. And where she wanted to be was here, with her.

The door slid open, carefully untangled from Hope, who murmured a protest, then buried her head in the pillow. Josie sat up.

Lizzie closed the door behind her, then reached for the lights without looking, her mind on the date she'd had with MG today.

Josie crossed her arms and said quietly, "Hope is sleeping, so don't turn on the lights."

Lizzie turned to look at her sister and for a moment they stared at each other. She gestured over her shoulder, offering awkwardly.

"If you want the room, I can go with MG"

Josie interrupted her.

"No, we're just sleeping" She considered her for a moment and said "Hope told me everything"

The way Lizzie's eyes refused to meet hers and the guilty look on her face confirmed what she had thought.

"You knew about it, didn't you? About everything?"

"Yes," she admitted reluctantly.

"Why didn't you tell me, Lizzie?" She shook her head, wondering how her closest family relationship had come to this. She knew she should be angry, but after everything that had happened today, there was no room for that. She asked wearily, "Do you hate me that much?"

"No," she denied, surprised by Josie's question and the resigned tone in her voice. Had she really made her think that? She looked down and finally told her the shameful truth: "I didn't want to worry you and it wasn't my duty to say something, I had to respect Fido and hope she would tell you"

Josie nodded. She knew her sister was right.

"We are fine?" Lizzie asked.

“Of course we are, Lizzie. You are my family "said Josie approaching to hug her.

Lizzie quickly hugged her, grateful for the arms that held her tight. She had hoped that Josie would forgive her for not telling her, but she was still afraid.

They parted ways and Lizzie looked at her sister, finally able to ask the question she had been so curious about. She had been incredulous, her father understanding, and Landon had been upset, but she wanted to know how Josie had reacted. "So what did you think when the mutt told you about her other life? Do you think it happened?"

"Yes, of course" Josie said surprised and Lizzie knew then that she had never doubted of the tribrid. She smiled to herself, Hope deserved to have that kind of faith and loyalty in her life.

Josie bit her lip, confessing.

"However, I feel overwhelmed. I mean, I don't know if I am all that she thinks I am."

Lizzie thought it was amazing how other people's insecurities were easy to see when yours didn't get in the way.

"No, I think this is the only time wolfie got it completely right."

Josie smiled, surprised and pleased by her comment.

"Thanks, Lizzie."

"Well, you better go to sleep, before the pup wake up."

"Good night, Lizzie" She saw her sister change into her pyjamas and go to bed. She returned to the bed where Hope lay on her side. Smiling, she lay down next to her, pulling her arm around her.

Hope shifted closer to her and murmured against her neck, "Everything okay?"

"Yes, Hope" she entwined her hand with hers, smiling as she closed her eyes with a sigh, "everything will be fine now"

**EL FIN**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for read this story.  
> Epilogue tomorrow.  
> Happy Halloween!!!


	40. Epilogo: Finally Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well, this is the end, thanks for reading and I hope you like it.  
> I wish you an early Happy Dia de muertos.

_"Life is all about timing...the unreachable becomes reachable, the unavailable becomes available, the unattainable... attainable. Have the patience, wait it out. It's all about timing." - Stacey Charter_

Hope paced in front of the door, giving it sparing looks as she went by. It was the same thing she had been doing for the past five minutes and if she hadn't been so distracted, she would have realized that someone would notice her doing it.

"You know, you can go in there," said an unfamiliar voice with a hint of laughter.

Her head snapped up to see a woman in uniform and a sympathetic but amused expression on her face. She tried to smile weakly at her, but it quickly escaped her lips as she continued down the hall. Hope knew she must look absolutely terrified because, for once in her life, she was completely unable to hide how she felt. She had dreamed of this moment over and over again, and she feared that now that she was here it would end like all her other dreams, she would wake up without them.

She looked down and caught the silver glint of her wedding ring, the smile coming naturally now. She had married Josie Saltzman. Some days she was still shocked to see the ring on her hand, unable to really believe that the brunette had married her. In the four years since she had put it on her finger, she had only removed it when she shifted on her wolf and even then, she wore it on a chain around her neck.

Josie had told her that she understood if she didn't want to wear one, because it would be less annoying if she had to shift on her wolf suddenly, and that she knew she loved her and only her. But she couldn't take it off. To the tribrid, that ring was a symbol of the promises they had made to each other at their wedding, promises she could remember as clearly as if they had been said yesterday.

_"Hope and Josie have written their own vows, which they will now say to each other," declared her Uncle Kol with a smile to the congregation. She turned to the tribrid, nodding. "Hope"_

_Hope turned to her best man and took the ring from MG. The brunette gave her a firm nod of encouragement, a small smile playing on her lips. Hope returned the gesture and turned to her bride. Her bride. She stopped for a moment and stared at her. She was breathtaking. The simple off-the-shoulder white dress she wore only emphasized her beauty and the second she'd seen her walk down the aisle to her, it had taken everything she had to don’t shift on her wolf because the excitement. The tribrid took a deep breath, reaching for her hands. She looked into her eyes and said the vows that she had been practicing for the past two weeks._

_"Josie, in a life that has been filled with the unexpected, you were the one surprise that I was completely unprepared for"_

_Josie laughed and Hope smiled at her, forgetting that there was anyone else there as she got lost in those loving brown eyes._

_Her smile softened as she shook her head in amazement._

_"You came into my life like a storm, stripping away all my defences and exposing truths that I wasn't sure I could handle. But you made me see that I could and believed you, because being close to you has always made me stronger. I don't know anyone who loves as fiercely and freely as you. You give so much of yourself to those you love and don't even realize how much it means to them to have your support. Especially me, because you’re everything to me. You’re my best friend, my partner, my epic love and today, you become my wife" She raised her hand and kissed it. "Thank you, Josie, for being my salvation, because I don't know what my life would have been without you. And so, I promise to always be there when you need me, to never leave you behind, to protect you, to love you, to be your wife, always and forever."_

_She slipped the silver ring onto her finger. She saw a tear fall from the corner of her eye and gently wiped it away. Josie turned her face to her palm and kissed it. Then she shook her head ruefully and whispered so low that only Hope could hear her: "Show off."_

_The tribrid chuckled softly when her Uncle Kol looked at her and nodded. "Josie"_

_She turned to Lizzie and took the silver band her sister offered her with a smile. Then she looked at her, inhaling deeply, and Hope could feel the fine tremble of her hand inside hers and squeezed. She looked at her, her eyes so serious and dark._

_"Hope, from the very first time we met, you took me completely by surprise" She smiled at her and Hope shook her head, knowing she was thinking about their first meeting in the schoolyard. Then the humour faded from her face, leaving only love there. "And all these years later, that’s never changed. You still surprise me every day. You make me believe in things I never thought I could. You make me believe that there are good people in this world, people who will do what is right, no matter what. And people who will always love you and never leave "_

_She knew exactly what she meant and tried to let her know with her eyes that she understood. The brunette smiled at her, telling her that she knew and that she could see the sheen of tears in her eyes._

_"I’ve fought with you, I’ve laughed with you, I’ve cried over you and I’ve loved you. You make me feel more than I’ve ever felt before and each day with you only gets better. You’ve given me everything, things I never thought I could have. things I never wanted to admit that I needed, and you gave them effortlessly. So today, I vow to give you everything I can. I promise to give you my friendship, my understanding and my love. I promise to always be your wife, and to do my best to give you all your dreams, because you have given me mine "_

_She pushed the silver ring down her finger. They looked at each other when Kol announced with a big smile that they were married._

Hope smiled at the memory. All the dreams she had wished for had come true. Except for one. She turned and looked at the door, a part of her still scared, despite everything. Finally, with a shaking hand, she pushed the door.

Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of the three people inside and her knees gave out, causing her to stumble as entering the room.

Her soft laugh reached her first, a soothing balm for her troubled soul.

"She's always like that" Josie confided to the other two people in the room. Then she looked at her wife and said softly, "But we'll give her a break. she's been waiting a long time to see you"

Hope had been waiting eight years to see these people. There were times when she had stopped believing that she would ever get a chance. Gingerly, she sat down next to Josie on the bed and the brunette smiled, that smile she kept just for her

"Hope Mikaelson, there are some people I would like you to meet" she twisted on the pillows that were propped around her, so that face her fully and held out one of the small bundles of squirming blankets, "your children"

_My children._

Her hands shook when she reached for the little baby. He looked so perfect, just as Hope remembered it. A part of her knew it should be impossible that they could have the same children they had in another life, she thought as she brushed her thumb against Andy's soft skin and looked at Luke in Josie's arms. But somehow, they had. She had seen enough miracles in her life to know that sometimes the impossible happened, and now, they had the greatest one in their arms.

The baby reached out, his tiny hand automatically wrapping around Hope's thumb. Her heart constricted at the touch. Sleepy dark blue eyes opened up to stare at the disturbance to his rest, eyes that Hope knew would turn lighter and greenish in a few weeks. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, inhaling that familiar scent.

The baby complained at this, frowned and started crying. Hope laughed and switched babies with Josie, inspected Luke carefully, it was just how she remembered him, relief filled what had been so afraid moments before. She was holding her son. This time he wasn't going to disappear into a dream. She whispered reverently, "Luke."

the tribrid looked quickly at Josie and she nodded, the tears matching the ones in her eyes and answered her unspoken question: "Yes, it's Luke, Hope. And this is Andy" she indicated the baby in her arms “they were always meant to be Andy and Luke "

Hope's gaze returned to her children, adoration so strong in her eyes that it took her breath away. She had looked at her that way since she first told her she was pregnant. Josie wiped away the tear that was escaping from the corner of her eye, remembering that night.

_She had been working long hours at the hospital for over a month. Josie had spent the day between surgeries._

_It had been when she was talking to the relatives of a patient that she passed out. It hadn't been the first time either. She had done it the day before as well, but hadn't told Hope, knowing how overprotective she could be. They had been so busy that she simply thought she had forgotten to eat. But when the nurses helped her up, she recalled a conversation she and Hope had had one summer night almost eight years earlier. So she walked straight to the lab and asked for some blood tests, which confirmed what she had thought: she was pregnant._

_She wanted so badly to go to Hope right now and tell her, but she knew that the Salvatore school principal was dealing with a little prank war between the wolves and the vampires. So instead, she'd returned to work with a smile that hadn't wavered all day. She'd done her rounds, barely able to focus on anything other than the secret inside her._

_She walked through the house, waiting for Hope to return. When the front door opened, the tribrid entered with weariness etched on her face. She took off her jacket and tossed it on the couch._

_She went into their room, took off her work clothes, put on shorts and an old T-shirt. She walked over to her, leaning in to give her a quick kiss on the neck. "Hi Jo"_

_She held her head against hers for a moment, closing her eyes. Then she released her and watched her move to the bed, stretching out across it with a sigh._

_For a few minutes she stared at her, wondering if they were ready for this, if she could do this, wondering so many things. But even while she was worried, a hand slid down and pressed against her belly._

_"Hope?"_

_"Mmm?"_

_She leaned against their bedroom wall and asked in a low voice._

_"Do you remember our vows?"_

_She laughed wearily, her eyes still closed._

_"Of course I do, Jo"_

_"Do you remember the part where I told you that I would do my best to give you all your dreams?"_

_Her eyes opened now and she looked up at her, a love so strong in them that it still took her breath away even after four years of marriage._

_"Yes, and you have"_

_"Well actually, I haven't done it yet." She took a deep breath and smiled. “but in another eight months or so I will”_

_Hope stilled and her eyes went to her belly, where her hand was still rested. Josie walked toward her as the tribrid sat up and stuttered._

_"You ... are you saying that ...?"_

_Josie nodded, cupping her face._

_"We're going to have a baby, Hope"_

_Her hands went to her hips, pulling her to her. She leaned her forehead against her as she lifted her shirt and kissed her stomach._

_"A baby. We're having a baby."_

_Josie let her fingers caress her hair, enjoying the feel of her lips on her skin. Then she stood up abruptly, a worried look replacing the excited one._

_"Hope ...?" said Josie confused_

_"We have to go to Aunt Freya, right now." She picked her up in her arms and walked to the door._

_"Hope wait, Freya isn't even on this continent right now" She stopped at this. She lowered her to the floor and turned to her closet._

_"You're right. Josie, pack only what you need" she told her as she looking for their bags._

_"Hope, let's wait until tomorrow" Josie said, rolling her eyes and sitting down on the bed._

_She stopped her movements at the agitated tone of her voice and leaned in front of her, her expression serious._

_"Josie, I saw how sick you were before and I didn't do anything to stop it. I don't want you to have to go through that again, we need Freya to do the spell to see if we have to face that again."_

_She raised her hand and cupped her jaw._

_"Hope, nothing's going to happen to us overnight, right?"_

_She seemed reluctant when she answered._

_"No, but still we shouldn't risk it"_

_She covered her mouth with a finger and when the tribrid stopped speaking, she began to trace the softness of her lips, which parted under her touch. Her breathing became shallow and her eyes sparkled gold as she looked at her. Josie felt her heart begin to race in response._

_"Hope, I want to spend tonight with you, in our bed, celebrating the one thing I always feared I couldn't give you: our family" she whispered_

_She frowned and she knew the argument the tribrid was about to make._

_That she was always enough for her, that the two of them were a family._

_"Josie ..."_

_She slid off the bed, kneeling in front of Hope, her hands reaching up and clasping her shoulders. Josie shook her head, stopping her. She knew she loved her, but those had been her fears and now, now they were over. She smiled at her._

_"Make love to me, Hope"_

Luke's crying brought her out of her memories and she rolled her eyes, especially considering the fact that she had decided when she was giving birth that she would never let Hope touch her again. She looked at the most important people in her life, and her smile widened to her powerful wife holding their little boy.

As Luke continued to cry, Hope shifted her into the once familiar position against her chest. He quieted at once, listening to the soothing beat of her mom's heart. Not knowing it hadn't beat like that until the second he rested against it, healing the final part that had been broken all these years.

Hope lay down next to Josie, feeling calmer now that the soft, familiar weight of her son rested once again close to her heart. She put an arm around Josie, gently helping her turn to face her. After she was lying against her side, she noticed how quiet the room was and realized they were alone. Hope frowned.

"Where is everybody?"

"They're all out in the waiting room," Josie said, laughing.

She thought of Lizzie, MG, Josie's parents and her family, all of whom had been just as excited to see the babies as her and Josie been.

"You mean they haven't seen the boys yet?"

Josie shook her head with a smile.

"I told them that I promised you that you and I would be the first ones they see"

Hope shook her head in amazement, knowing that only Josie Mikaelson could have made a promise like that and kept it. She also had a suspicion that Josie had demanded this promise during the birth, knowing that way she would get what she wanted.

Josie laughed, thinking of the mulish faces that had been on her family as they had made her promise that the second Hope gotten there, she would have someone tell them.

"Of course, now that you're here, I expect the mob to descend any second."

They heard a tiny yawn and looked down to see Andy closing his eyes, a small snuffling sound escaping him. They smiled at each other. Hope brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. Tears welled up in her eyes as she pulled away and said to her wife.

"Thank you"

Josie smiled at her and raised her hand to cover hers as they held their children

"It was my pleasure, Hope"

She rested her head on her shoulder and Hope sighed, pulling them closer to her. Now, finally, she was home.


End file.
